Final Code: Arcana
by silvermaiden19
Summary: Between all the life and death situations, battles, and problems. Can Zero and Kaname finally find the courage to admit their feelings to each other before fate begins to tear them apart? Or would they end up making the biggest regret of their lives?
1. library and partner

**Author's Notes**

I've posted this part here in order to get some information out since I won't be posting long notes in the next chapters. I would advise everyone to read this part first before heading on to the story.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the vampire knight characters that would be appearing in this story. This story is only done for fun and entertainment.

**Title: **This story was inspired by the number of shows I watched that featured libraries and such. I've first written the draft back at the university along with some of my classmates who shared some pretty good ideas. Coming up with the title was a bit hard since I didn't know what words to describe what the story contains. Many titles have come up in my mind but I was a bit unsatisfied with those. After a few days, as I've continued writing the first chapter of the story, the word 'final' and 'code' came to my mind. It seemed quite good but it was still missing something and as I've went over the whole plot of the story, I've figured that 'arcana' was a word that seemed to go well with the first two. In the end, the title became _'__**Final Code: Arcana**__'_ and I hope that everyone would see its connection to the story as the chapters go on.

**Ratings:**This fic is rated T for a while but it would be subjected change to M depending on how the story would go in the later chapters.

**Timeline: **This is an AU story and will not follow what is happening in the anime and manga. Basically, the premise is set on a different world and one I've spent some time creating and imagining. It took ages to think about that and I hope that I've done well in this part.

**Textual/Content Notations: **I've decided to use the first name, last name structure since there are several characters here with names from other nationalities. I've retained Japanese suffixes where I feel that they are appropriate. Some Japanese words would be used from time to time like onii-san, onee-san, and so on since it seemed to fit better than their English counterparts.

There are lots of terms here that would be used since magic, grimoires, and so on would be mentioned in the story most of the time. I've taken the liberty to research them one by one as additional information that would be posted at the end of each chapter.

**Back Story: **At a certain library located in the far ends of the dark woods, some unnatural and mysterious artifacts called grimoires are stored there. Of course, there are special individuals who handle these books called the librarians. Kaname Kuran is the newest member of the library and considered to be a prodigy but has still the need to understand the inner workings of the place. He is introduced to Zero Kiryuu, a mysterious and quiet young man who always wears a scarf around his neck. Despite the latter's cold and silent demeanor, Kaname feels a certain unexplainable attachment to him.

Together with Zero, he goes on missions to retrieve powerful books from different places as well as working in the library itself as a guide to visitors. In time, Kaname learns to love this dangerous and unique job. As he discovers the secrets of the library and the stories found there, he learns that everything is not what it seems. His relationship with Zero progresses steadily and he discovers the latter's painful past that had left Zero to be who was now. They cope with several problems along the way and face an enemy that threatens to destroy the library they work for.

**Story Summary:** Kaname Kuran never expected to fall in love with Zero Kiryuu. But a relationship with Zero comes with its own dangers. Now that Kaname had found someone worth dying for, would he decide to follow his heart? Or would he deny his one chance at love?

**Feedback and Length: **This is a long story. Chapter length will vary between 5000-10000 words on average; it will stretch to 20 or so chapters. It will also contain some extra chapters that would detail some events in Kaname and Zero's pasts that would only be vaguely mentioned in the main plot. It would also offer minor clues as to what we could expect in the future chapters.

Feedbacks and comments are always appreciated. It would help in developing this story and possibly inspiring me to continue on with this very first project of mine.

* * *

**Chapter One – Library and Partner**

Kaname Kuran didn't even know what on earth possessed him to think that going to this place was a good idea on his part. He stood in front of the mysterious library at the outskirts of the city, clearly in a debate within himself. He travelled a great distance from his home and left his usual extravagant life just for this moment. After _those individuals _had started making their own moves, he decided that it was time for him to do so as well. And this was his foremost plan. Though, he could contribute this hasty decision as part of his own desire as well.

Now that he was here, things seemed a little different.

He was a bit hesitant about whether to come through with his plans or not.

For one thing, the library wasn't what he expected at all. This huge and ancient building was definitely something he never imagined a library would look like. This place seemed to come out of the fairy tale books, like castles of old or something along those lines. It made him wonder if people ever come to this place. Or rather, live here for that matter. He remembered that the other libraries he knew didn't look like this. The others appeared to be more _normal_ looking.

But Dark Woods Library was one of the few libraries that housed a number of talented individuals and it was proven by the fact that the head librarian was a man named Kaien Cross. A legendary vampire hunter from many years ago whose name is still spoken with utmost respect and awe.

He sighed deeply as he reread the map in his hand, knowing that he did not make a mistake about the place. The building in front of him was definitely the one he was looking for. There was simply no turning back now. He _wanted_ to come here after all. It was his own decision and he wouldn't back out on it now of all times.

There was a bit of uncertainty in his mind and he couldn't seem to shake off the weird feeling he had. A sort of nagging intuition that wanted him to leave before things gets out of hand.

It was as if something was going to happen that he would not be prepared for.

Years of being acquainted with that odd sense had helped him get out of certain tricky and dangerous situations. For as long as he knew, he had avoided danger because it was needed for him to take up the family name. But not anymore, that time had long come and gone. From this point on, he knew that he didn't want to heed that feeling anymore. He was willing to risk his life for what he was set out to do.

He was already aware of the risks of going through with his plan. It would be filled with danger and his life would be put at risk in some point but he found out that he liked that kind of living. His blood yearned for that sort of experience. He hated his previous life. The one where he attended boring parties, boring meetings, and boring day to day experiences. After going through with that for years, he had learned to hate that monotonous existence.

Back in his old home, he only had a few friends he could put his trust in wholeheartedly, people who would not be swayed by his authority and power. All his life, he _needed_ friends who would accept him as who he is as a person. He had had enough of those lies and dishonest words. Most proclaimed him as a high individual, asked to be his acquaintance, and sometimes groveled at his feet. Yet he wondered how many of those people were sincere.

It was understandable since he was the heir of the Kuran family line and he had a lot of responsibilities and duties despite his young age. He grew up in the world of adults and he behaved according to their customs. He had realized then that he had no one his age to talk to most of the time and sometimes those of his age would speak to him formally that he found in quite annoying.

He knew that he wasn't mistaken in thinking that librarians were talented and powerful enough to be used in his own plans. He watched the news regarding a librarian who went on a mission to retrieve a famous grimoire and he saw that he wasn't mistaken. Those people were fit to become his allies in the battle that would take place sometime in the future.

He was a bit curious about what he would face now since this time he would have a job where he could be free to be someone he wanted to be. That he didn't have to pretend in front of so many people just to please them even if he didn't want to. This time there was no one to control and run his life for him. After everything he went through, it was now the moment where he would do something for his own.

All of it would begin in this place.

Libraries.

They were like labyrinths and safe houses for the most powerful books created in history. Books about magic, about immortality, records of great historical figures, and many others could be found there. Rumors said that certain grimoires that alter the world are hidden deep inside those ordinary buildings. And the librarians were talented individuals with special abilities. They are tasked to protect the secrets of those libraries and retrieve stolen or missing books.

All in all, it was a pretty dangerous job. Yet, Kaname didn't want to go back to his old one.

He would become a librarian. He knew that now.

Kaname knocked on the huge, oak front doors and waited with some apprehension for someone to answer. At first there was nothing, but the doors swung open to reveal a rather grand lobby where there were a few people going about. From the looks of things, those people seemed to be the normal employees of this library and not the ones classified as a full fledged librarian. He stepped inside and wondered what he was supposed to do now since the doors seemed to have opened on their own accord and no one was there to greet him.

"Excuse me, are you Kaname Kuran-san?" a petite young girl with dark gray hair and eyes asked cheerfully as she approached him. She wore a simple black dress adorned with laces on the edges and accented with ribbons. There was something about this person that strike Kaname as odd but he chose to dismiss it for now. Thinking that it didn't matter to him for the moment.

"Yes, I am," Kaname answered automatically in the same calm and composed tone he used on a daily basis. One that his guardian had always taught him to use since he is to become a respected and successful individual. It made him more adult-like and exuded his authority to others despite him being only nineteen in terms of age.

"My name is Maria Kurenai and it is a pleasure to meet you," Maria said in the same cheerful tone as she studied him for a moment. "If you would please follow me, I will take you to the head librarian's office," she added as she motioned for him to follow her past a set of hallways and rooms down towards a lone room at the end of the corridor. "I would warn you though that the head librarian is rather… different than normal but nonetheless he is a great man. First impressions are not always everything as some people might say," she said after a while.

The cryptic words were met with silence.

The walk continued on and Kaname had busied himself by taking in most of the place. He would definitely get lost in this library in the first few days as he noted the different corridors and stairs leading to who knows where. His musings were interrupted when the entrance to the head librarian's office swung open rather forcibly. A young woman with pale blue eyes and long blond hair strode out indignantly, fuming under her breath. She did not notice them as she walked away, the heels of her shoes making noise along the tiles of the silent corridor. She turned around the corner and disappeared from their sight.

Maria sighed heavily as she then called out inside the room and announced that their expected guest had just arrived. A rather cheerful voice answered and Maria ushered Kaname inside. She told him that they'll meet again next time before walking back to the place where they came from.

Kaname entered an elegant study with paneled walls, furnished with books and paintings and antique furniture. Head librarian Cross sat behind an impressive desk, and Kaname sat on an armchair opposite the man. Cross smiled kindly as he examined Kaname before announcing. "I've been waiting for you to arrive, Kaname-kun. We're rather short on employees and you've come at a great time."

_Short on employees?_ Kaname thought suddenly. He wondered what that meant since he remembered that libraries hired a number of people to accommodate the jobs.

I'm Kaien Cross, the head librarian and founder of the Dark Woods Library. By the way, calling me Cross would be fine, everyone in her addresses me that way," the blonde haired man went on as he adjusted the round glasses on his eyes.

"Since you already know my name, I guess introducing myself would be unnecessary," Kaname said politely. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Cross," he said as he shook the man's hand.

"I am well aware that you already have a bit of knowledge about the library and the jobs you would be doing soon, am I correct in saying so?" Cross asked and Kaname nodded his response. "Well, I have nothing more to say so all we have to do no is offer you a tour around the place and some background info as to what you'll do from now on. Let me see, I'll have someone help you with that," he added as he took out a phone and dialed a number. There was a conversation on the other end and Kaname saw Cross frown before begging the person on the other end to come to the office. After a few more words, the head librarian put down the phone with a smile.

"We'll have to wait some time for him to get here," Cross said cheerfully. "By the way, I apologize for the brief episode before you came. It seemed that Sara Shirabuki, the young woman who stormed out of the office, was rather… annoyed by what I said. It seemed that she didn't take too kindly about the decision I made."

"There is no harm done so there is no need to apologize. Though I have to say that annoyed is hardly the right word for what she felt when she walked away."

"I guess that's true. Annoyed would be a pretty mild word. The correct would be pissed off as hell, as Kaito might say in his own words."

"Kaito?"

"He's another active librarian here. I am quite sure that you'll meet him soon enough."

"I see." _There seems to be a lot of interesting individuals around this place._

"I hope that Sara won't be taking out her anger on her missions. Goodness knows how much the repair fees would cost for whatever damage will be incurred. Some members of this library do tend to go wild most of the time," Cross said with a sigh as he seemed to reminisce about some of those incidents. "It doesn't help that my own daughter is a part of that," he muttered under his breath.

Kaname heard that and it made him wonder about the kind of people he would be working with soon. _They couldn't be worse than Aidou and Kain who seemed to create trouble wherever they went to,_ he thought ruefully.

Cross then offered him some tea and biscuits as they waited for the person whom Cross called a few minutes ago. They talked about some thing like what Kaname did before he came here, his thought on this place, and many others. Kaname felt at ease with the head librarian's company and he liked that sort of feeling. It was quite unlike anything he ever had back at his old life. People back there treated him with respect but he was sure that most of those people didn't mean that.

In here, it seemed that most would speak to him normally despite knowing who he truly was.

_Maybe this time, things would be different,_ he thought with hope. Knowing that in this place, he could finally start anew. And he would find allies to help him in the confrontation in the near future.

_I won't lose to you, Uncle. I won't ever fail again._

**-xxXxxXxx-**

The morning sky was clear and exceptionally bright; a slight breeze stirred the cool air. A silvery cloud drifted over the horizon, its edges glowing with the ruddy light cast from the sun itself.

Zero Kiryuu lounged under the shade of the oak tree by the gardens and waited for the time to pass by while gazing at the skies. He was currently on a break from some work in the library and he preferred the quiet and peaceful atmosphere in here compared to the common room which would be the exact opposite. Some of his co-workers had just returned and that could mean arguments and unwanted noises would be drifting here and there. And truthfully, he wasn't on the mood for such annoying distractions.

Come to think of it, he was never one to care about trivial things.

He knew quite well that Yuuki would scold him for being anti-social again. Not that he could blame her, given what he usually did. But, he had always believed that he had no need for such bonds. Not when he knew he was –

No. He couldn't tread on that dangerous thought for now.

Despite all the distance he put, he couldn't deny that he somehow _cared_ for them. He might not show that emotion or any for that matter but he was serious in wanting to protect everyone from danger. Even if he never acted like it nor showed it, he truly loved this library. After all, this was the only place he could call his home and the only one he could go back to. Ever since that day, four years ago when he was only fifteen, his life changed drastically and the life he had always known ended in that one instant. He couldn't remember much of the details about that time but the feelings and sensations were all there and it sometimes haunted him in his sleep. Back then, when the nightmares were too much, others especially Yuuki would come and stay with him until he had calmed down enough. After all, most of the nightmares he had were about that day when he lost his family to that _woman._

Later on, he began to lock away all of his emotions. He guessed that maybe a part of him died that time.

Kaien Cross took him in as a member of the library upon realizing that he was now an orphan and since then, he had worked and lived here. As time passed by, new members joined them and this place became a bit rowdier than usual. He couldn't deny that he hated the noises and such. The only good thing about that was the workload lessened considerably and he could take vacations like a normal employee. Now that he thought about it, Cross had announced just yesterday that someone new would be joining them today. Zero didn't dwell on that matter for too long since he felt that it didn't concern him that much.

Instead, he began to remember about what she had told him.

'_Don't worry, my dear Zero. When the day that the pain becomes too unbearable, I will come for you again. After all, you are destined to join forces with me. And I will make sure that no one would come in our way again.'_

That woman said those words to him four years ago and he knew that she was serious about that. He couldn't help but be afraid of that notion, and he decided that maybe dying would be a better alternative than that. He wanted to seek revenge for his parents' death but there was something in him that went against that. Of course, he knew that he needed her in order to ensure his survival. He specifically needed _her blood._ The one thing that would end this painful curse. His days were being numbered after all and his condition was getting steadily worse. Even his own guardians knew that. Yagari had taken it upon himself to hunt that woman down and retrieve her blood so that Zero wouldn't be put at risk by getting close to her. Still, they had not found any trace of her for years.

The pureblood vampire named _Shizuka Hiou_ was nowhere to be found.

"So this is where you decided to go, Zero?" a voice called out to him, breaking his bitter musings and he sat up to see a petite young woman with short brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, walking towards him. "I've been looking all over the place for you and Kaito mentioned that you might be here when I went to the common room," she added as she stopped in front of him.

Zero sighed inwardly as he stared impassively at her brown eyes. "Is there anything you need me for, Yuuki?" he asked listlessly.

"Nothing really. I was just a bit worried that you're… well…" Yuuki said as she gazed at Zero and found it hard to say what she wanted to now that she was here with him. "Umm… slacking off again," she finished lamely and fought the urge to smack her head on the tree behind them. She wanted to tell Zero that she was worried that something happened to him again but she couldn't figure out why she had a hard time saying it properly. _Stupid Yuuki!_ She mentally shouted to herself as she settled beside him on the grass.

Yuuki looked at Zero softly and wondered what he was usually thinking about in his spare time or any time in general. They had known each other for four years and since then, they had always been together. She spent a lot of time with him and she couldn't remember a day that the young man wasn't there for her. As time passed by, she noticed that other people especially girls her age developed feelings for him. She couldn't blame them since Zero was pretty good-looking. He had silver hair and he was quite tall that Yuuki actually felt so small compared to him. He also had silver cuffs on his ear and despite her protests before; she found that it looked good on him nonetheless. But what she liked most of all were his eyes. His eyes were a shade between amethyst and silver. It always fascinated her since he was the only person she saw who had that eye color. Sometimes she even wondered if she felt something for Zero aside from being a family or like an older brother.

Still, Zero was a private person and she knew little about what he thought or about him at all. He had always kept up that emotionless look that sometimes Yuuki wished she could see through it. To learn about the person who had always helped her. But the truth remained; he would never find happiness as long as that curse hangs above him.

"I wasn't slacking off this time and shouldn't the same be said to you," Zero replied and he watched as Yuuki snapped out of her private musings, her facial expression clearly showing that she was confused as to what he meant. He often wondered why other people were easy to read. Most of the time, a simple gesture was enough for him to know what the other is thinking. "For some reason, I feel sorry for your partner. You're totally useless in missions," he added and despite not showing any emotion, Yuuki saw that there was a bit of amusement lying there in his eyes.

Yuuki always knew that Zero's eyes were one place where she could see his concealed emotions.

She punched him lightly on the shoulder as she realized what he meant. "I am not! Zero, you're being mean again. I know that we've only been doing easy missions unlike you and the others but –"

Zero cut her off. "That's the problem. If it's that easy, why do you keep messing up that badly? I remember Cross apologizing to the owner of the hotel about that hole in the wall. The one you made last mission."

Yuuki's face turned several shades of red from embarrassment. "I-I don't know w-what you're talking about, Zero," she stuttered as she tried to deny that statement. She had enough with the others laughing about that incident for days. How was she supposed to know that the Artemis Rod could break the wall that easily? She certainly didn't expect that to happen. At least, Sayori didn't find it that funny. And her best friend was there to see it close-up. Maybe that's the reason. Sayori didn't have to make up some wild imagination about the incident. She was suddenly brought back to reality by a series of coughing coming from beside her.

"Zero? Zero!" she shouted as alarm spread throughout her body. She rushed closer to her friend as he was bent over; coughing incessantly even though he tried to suppress them. She held onto his shoulders and pulled him closer to herself. She began to notice how his body was seemingly a bit warmer than normal. After a while, it finally subsided.

"I'm fine," Zero lied and he knew that Yuuki didn't believe that statement at all. He tried to straighten up but Yuuki guided him to lie down on the grass, his head pillowed in her lap. He tried to protest though he knew it was useless when Yuuki decided to be stubborn. He complied upon seeing her worried features. _Maybe I shouldn't have pushed myself too hard the past few days, _he thought as he closed his eyes.

"You should be resting more, you know. Overworking yourself like this isn't right, Zero," Yuuki scolded him in a gentle tone as she tried to keep her tears at bay. It had always been like this and it worried her to no end especially when Zero always went to missions alone.

Who knows what could happen? He might get hurt or worse.

Zero didn't reply back and Yuuki was okay with that. She knew that Zero wasn't really that much of a conversationalist and she was aware that he understood what she meant by those words earlier. He was always good at reading people and understanding things. But still, when it came to the emotion department, he seemed to be having minor problems from time to time.

"I'm here for you, Zero. You've always been there for me. That's why I want to help you as well," Yuuki said gently as she gazed at the silver-haired young man. "Please count on me too," she added as she willed all of her tears away. She had to be strong despite her fear of losing Zero. He was an important part of her family and she knew that she couldn't bear to lose him. It was a normal occurrence to have attacks like that but this year, it came more often than usual. Enough that it hindered Zero's usual work in the library. It frightened her that it had gotten worse.

"I know. You don't need to tell me that," Zero told her as he opened his eyes to stare at her. "You've always been there for me since that day," he added.

"Of course I would. What kind of family am I if I left you alone like that? Besides, even if it may not look like it to others, I always felt that you needed someone back then."

"You never failed being a sister to me, Yuuki."

"Because you're like the older brother I never had, Zero. I don't know what I would do without you guiding me and scolding me when I do so many stupid things. Others might call you an emotionless or cold person but I think that you care about us in some way," Yuuki said as she smiled at him cheerfully. "I wish I could do so much more for you," she added in a wishful tone.

The time passed by in silence as they came to a realization that no more was needed to be said.

Yuuki wondered if Zero ever fell in love before. It was a completely random thought but it did make her a bit curious nonetheless. There were a lot of individuals here that were talented, nice, and good-looking. Well, she had a nagging feeling that Zero never did fall in love with someone. For her it was understandable because of what happened in his past. Without meaning to, she prayed that someday Zero might find someone he would love and who would love him as well. Someone who could bring back the emotions that he lost.

Though she knew that it was next to impossible given Zero's own nature. He had a certain nihilistic view of things most of the time. It made Yuuki think if he even remembered the concept about love and such. He was always so focused on his missions and the logical viewpoint of things. Her father had always warned her that what happened four years ago might have affected Zero deeply so his attitude might be understandable. Aside from that, it was also hard to get past that emotionless exterior. He could also be blunt and straight to the point which tended to garner him some enemies.

Yuuki sighed in defeat. Her matchmaking skills would be useless on him.

A phone rang suddenly and Yuuki watched as Zero sat up to fish his phone out of his jacket. There was a small conversation in there and Zero stood up despite Yuuki's protest to have him rest. He brushed away some dirt from his pants before turning to her. "I'll see you later then, Yuuki. Cross needs me in his office as soon as possible," he said as he walked back inside the building.

"See you at dinner, Zero!" Yuuki shouted back at him as he finally disappeared from sight. She hoped that he would feel a bit better later on. She wondered if she needed to check on him to make sure of that before dinnertime. She was also curious about what her father needed from Zero and she hoped that it wasn't about some mission.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

There was a soft knock on the door of the head librarian's office and Zero entered the room at a brisk pace. It was quite a long way from the gardens and he was aware that Cross had been waiting for him for some time. Still, he reasoned to himself that it was not his fault since the call came without warning and at a bad time at that. Along the way, he tried to suppress the dizziness and pain he had been feeling. It wouldn't do him some good to show any signs of weakness. He closed the door behind him and walked over to the mahogany desk where Cross was sitting and talking to a young man who Zero realized was someone he never saw in the library before.

_Must be the new member,_ he noted as he gazed at the stranger's profile for a few seconds.

"Is there something you need me for, Head Librarian Cross?" Zero said as he lodged his hands in the pockets of his pants. He contained the irritation threatening to burst from his emotionless façade as he looked down at the calm and _overly_ cheerful figure sitting in front of him. After all those years, Kaien Cross hadn't changed one bit in his opinion. His guardian's childishness still bordered on being weird and absolutely irritating at the same time. He always wondered where the man's pride at being a legendary hunter went to. He couldn't think of any reason as to why Cross had bothered him now of all times and wondered if it was one of this man's so-called _brilliant_ ideas.

The room was silent as Zero waited for Cross to start addressing him.

Meanwhile, Kaname gazed at the young man who entered the room out of the corner of his eyes. That individual had fine, silver hair, and a rather pale complexion. He was almost of the same height as him and his ears were adorned by a number of silver cuffs. Aside from the navy jacket, that young man also had a dark blue muffler on his neck which was a bit weird since it wasn't that cold this time of the year. All in all, that person was very good-looking in his opinion. It wasn't always he sees someone with that kind of coloring. But what fascinated Kaname the most was this person's eyes. It was a unique shade of amethyst with flecks of silver. It was the first time he had ever seen that kind of color in someone else's eyes. He could honestly say that he thought that those eyes were very beautiful and fascinating.

"I'd like you to meet Kaname Kuran," Cross said as he gestured a hand in Kaname's direction. "He will be the newest addition to this library and I was hoping that he would be given a bit of a tour around the place some time. Since you're free on most days anyway, Zero, why don't you lend a hand?" he added in a cheerful tone and awaited the stoic young man's reply.

Cross frowned inwardly as he noticed that Zero looked much paler than usual and there was this tired look in the young man's eyes. Others might not notice it if they didn't look for the barest hint of emotion in Zero. He had heard from Lilianne Meitzen that Zero seemed to be having one of his _off_ days again. It didn't settle him to see one of his precious family members, since he considered all of the librarians working here as family, was suffering and there was nothing much he could do at all.

He really didn't want to call Zero but there was no one else who was up to the job in his opinion and Zero wasn't as disaster prone as the rest of the other members here. At least, the silver haired young man tended to have minimal damages compared to the others. A fact that Cross took joy in since he had to pay for the damages incurred most of the time in the missions that other members had taken.

He had given Zero a vacation of some sorts for a while before all of this. They had a bit of an argument there and luckily, the prodding did some miracles and the stubborn young man accepted, albeit half-heartedly. And it looked like it helped a bit since Zero insisted that he was well enough to be able to take missions again soon. Though, Cross wondered if that was true, seeing as Zero didn't look that okay in his opinion.

Zero inwardly sighed as he gazed at Kaname then back to Cross.

Kaname was transfixed by those eyes and there was just something in that brief gaze that seemed as if the young man managed to glimpse his very soul. It made him feel a bit uneasy but he wasn't the type to show those things to other people. He maintained a neutral feature as the other studied him for those few crucial seconds. He didn't know why it felt that way but the person in front of him had a strange aura. Like it was something not quite human to some extent.

_It's like those silver eyes woke up my sleeping heart. If I could describe it? They're something not from this world,_ he thought deeply. Noting that there was something definitely _different_ about this person named Zero.

"It's not like I have much of a choice in the present matter," Zero said in a bored and impassive tone as he realized that there was no way out of the predicament. He saw Cross beam at his reply and he felt the irritation from earlier come back. It was a good thing for the head librarian that he deemed it absolutely worthless to engage in a fight and that he was in no mood for such things.

"That's good to hear. It would be a great time for you two to get to know each other since you'll be working more in the future," Cross said eagerly as he handed the silver haired young man some papers. He hoped fervently that Zero would not get pissed off with him for his decisions. The young man might be calm and indifferent most of the time but Cross knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to make this person angry. In all actuality, he had to admit that he was a bit afraid of what Zero might do to him.

All in all, he had enough arguments for one day. Lilianne Meitzen then Kaito Takamiya followed by Sara Shirabuki was definitely not something helping his morning into a nice, peaceful one. Getting shouted at by people younger than him was something he didn't want to keep on experiencing.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Didn't I mention it to you last time, Zero?" Cross asked skeptically, wondering if he forgot to mention that tiny, little detail last meeting. "Maybe I forgot seeing as you're not the type to forget details during the meetings," he said hastily as he looked away from Zero's intimidating gaze and tried to think of some way to phrase his decision without inciting anger. Well, it wasn't useful on Sara and the others but it was definitely worth the try. "Kaname is going to be your partner from now on so I would ask you to teach him some of the basics along this place. You two might be sent on the field pretty soon after all," he said in the same cheerful tone as before while inwardly praying that nothing bad would happen. He had learned that Zero didn't hold back when he was angry. It was true that Zero's expression didn't change but his attacks did. Cross have had too many experiences on that account to justify his statement. In addition to that, he could testify about how painful it was.

"You never told me that before. What makes you think that I would accept that proposal?" Zero said in the same blank tone as he continued to gaze at the head librarian.

Kaname watched the man shrink a bit at Zero's gaze and words.

"I know that you're quite capable in doing your job, Zero. But given your… condition right now, I do not think it would be wise to send you on a mission alone," Cross replied firmly and Kaname wondered about the implication of that statement since there a brief flash of hidden emotion in Zero's eyes before he looked away suddenly. There seemed to be something troubling the silver haired young man. "Anyway, Kaname," Cross continued as he turned his attention to the brunette. "This young man here is Zero Kiryuu. He would be your colleague and mission partner in the Dark Woods Library. For the mean time, I trust that Zero would take you to your quarters since I assume that you needed some rest after that long travel."

Everyone stared at each other in silence for a few minutes. Zero sighed inwardly for the second time in the office as he realized that Cross would not take no for an answer this time.

"Very well, Cross. Like I said before, I noticed that I really have no choice in the matter but to comply with your decisions," Zero said afterwards and the head librarian offered him a small smile in return. "I'll make sure that Kaname Kuran gets the basics of being a librarian and take him around the place if there is time," he added to Cross's benefit and with no more to be said, he gestured for Kaname to follow before they closed the door behind them.

Kaname followed Zero out of the office and headed towards a set of doors that led outside the main building. There was a bout of silence as they passed the gardens and he saw just how big this place was. It sort of reminded him of his old home and he felt quite nostalgic about thinking that. There were various scents of flowers in the air and some benches could be seen from all over the place. As they walked on, he saw that they were heading to the east building.

"I'll take you around the library tomorrow if that is okay with you," Zero said while breaking the heavy silence. "You've just gotten here so I'll show you to your permanent room," he added in a bored tone.

"Of course, that would be fine with me," Kaname replied.

Kaname wondered what kind of person Zero Kiryuu was since he had never met anyone quite like that silver-haired young man. When he first entered the room, he had a strong and commanding presence. He bordered on the emotionless side but there were times throughout the conversation with Cross that there was a flicker of emotion on his eyes. Also, when Cross said something about a condition, his vulnerability was seen for a moment. Yet, judging by the head librarian's reactions, Zero wasn't someone to be taken lightly. In Kaname's eyes, Zero was a walking contradiction. It made him curious to know the young man more.

_It seems I'm right in thinking that there are a lot of interesting people here,_ he thought afterwards.

"Before everything else, I need to know how much you know about being a librarian," Zero asked as they entered the east building which acted as the members' dorm room.

"Is this a test of some sort then, Kiryuu-san?"

"Something along those lines," Zero replied in a listless tone. "You don't need to address me formally. I've been calling you by your first name so Zero would be fine with me," he added as he gazed at Kaname for a while, noting that his new partner's garnet eyes brightened a bit.

"If you insist," Kaname said softly. "Zero."

Zero was a bit taken aback at the soft tone in Kaname's tone even though he didn't show it. The moment he saw the brunette, he felt the commanding and powerful aura. Judging from that, Zero had already guessed who Kaname was. As if the name wasn't a dead give away already. He was a bit skeptical about the arrangement even now. Though something was different as he gazed at those garnet colored eyes. He noticed the honesty on those eyes and he knew that Kaname might be a bit different from all of the others he had met so far. Maybe it wouldn't be a mistake to give this person a chance before making assumptions. He didn't want to get along with anyone else given his condition but maybe getting to know this person wouldn't be a problem as long as he knew how to set a distance. _Though I wonder if Kaname would still want to be my partner if he knew the truth about me._ Zero wondered afterwards.

Kaname couldn't help but feel the familiarity of his partner's name. He felt his heart skip a bit whenever he heard the sound of his own name in his partner's lips and he wondered suddenly why he felt that way. The intense and calculating gaze was also something that set his nerves alight. Zero was distant and serious and also indifferent in his opinion but he felt that he was wrong in those assumptions. He wondered what it would be like if this person showed his emotions openly. Would it be different? Kaname then wondered why he was so curious about someone he recently met.

"First of all, what is a grimoire?" Zero asked as they headed towards a set of stairs, surprisingly the building was empty of its occupants. He guessed that maybe it was time for their shift or they were back in their own rooms.

"It is a textbook of magic. The term is used in a number of different ways, depending on one's stance on magic," Kaname answered as he remembered everything that he studied and learned before coming to this place. "They can be used to create talismans, summon entities, used for dark spells, and so on."

"Knowing that information, it could be said that we house very dangerous artifacts and we'll be facing individuals trying to steal those things from us. It doesn't help that sometimes we do things the other way around."

"We steal from dark organizations?"

"Yes, that is correct. That is why there were very strict regiments for choosing a librarian for this place. We always seemed to run into those people and fighting is the only way to settle things," Zero replied in an indifferent tone. "I would presume that you are pretty strong if you were chosen to work here," he added with a hint of curiosity in those amethyst eyes. "Another thing is that grimoires are dangerous things. With the contrasting common wisdom and the altered laws written in them. It has its own poisons, regardless of good and evil."

"My work is definitely something I should be very serious about," Kaname answered and he wasn't mistaken when he saw amusement flicker in Zero's eyes.

"I don't know about being serious in those things. Most of the members do not even follow that kind of thinking," Zero answered afterwards. "They just tend to do as they please without any regard whatsoever about the others around them," he added later on.

They arrived at the second floor of the building, passed several sets of rooms, and stopped at the end of a hallway. Zero opened the door of the last room and entered, gesturing him to follow. Kaname was amazed at the inside of the room and noticed that his luggage was already there. It was a large room, complete with a private bathroom and a small living room. The furniture in the room was in a shade of dark red and gold. Kaname felt a bit at home despite arriving here a few hours ago.

"This will be your room from now on. If you need anything, my room is two doors down from yours," Zero said as he moved to the open doorway and he suddenly felt his chest tighten considerably.

"I'll keep that in mind," Kaname said as he checked the room and found that he definitely liked it. "Thank you for the help, Zero. I've quite enjoyed –" he said and trailed off as he turned and noticed that Zero was nowhere to be seen. He thought about what happened to his companion and why he disappeared without a word. He didn't even feel nor hear the other leave which was unusual on his part since he was perceptive about that.

_Maybe he forgot to do something important,_ he thought to himself as he closed the door. But he felt that it was something different and he became a bit worried despite not understanding why.

Meanwhile, Zero hurriedly left Kaname's room and headed straight to his own when he felt an oncoming attack. He staggered through his bedroom and went inside the bathroom, coughing along the way. He leaned heavily on the sink as his body felt relatively weak from all that coughing. He had some trouble breathing and it took all of his will power not to pass out on the spot. Some of his blood splattered through the white porcelain but he took no notice of it as he rummaged the cabinet for the bottle of pills.

He found the bottle and popped two white pills on his mouth. He waited for the medicine to take effect.

After a few agonizing moments, he felt his attack subsiding. He panted heavily from the exertion and he gazed at the mirror in front of him. He looked like hell and he knew that if he went to the dining room today, the others were bound to notice what was wrong with him. As he stared more closely, he noticed that behind the amethyst hue of his eyes, there was a hint of crimson. Like the blood he washed away from the sink by turning the taps.

Barely noticeable but still there nonetheless.

He walked out of the bathroom and dropped down on his bed. He didn't even have the energy to get up again. He sighed heavily as he realized the implication of what was happening. It seemed that his time was running out sooner than he expected. He had suppressed his condition for four years and this time he couldn't do the same. He draped an arm across his eyes and he felt tired all of a sudden. He felt sleep coming and he knew it would be a matter of time until unconsciousness claimed him

"I can't die just yet. Not until I have my revenge," he whispered to himself. "I really do have to find _her_ no matter what," he added before he felt something brush in his highly alert senses. There was something wrong just now and he tried to figure out what. A whispering voice, as if someone was there with him, came suddenly. His eyes widened in surprise when he realized that the voice was Shizuka Hiou's.

'_Looks like the time has come, Zero. Our fated meeting is coming soon and this time, you will be mine…' _


	2. memories and mission

_Thank you for all those readers who dropped me a review and added this story to their favorites and alerts list. You guys have inspired me so much to write another chapter to this fic and I'm glad that you guys liked the idea concerning libraries, grimoires, and so on. Once again, thank you very much. =) _

_Here's another chapter to this story. Please Read and Review. =)_

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**Chapter Two – Memories and Mission**

Four years.

It had been four long years since she had last saw him.

Shizuka Hiou thought to herself as she walked along the deserted streets of the town near the Central Library. She had not seen him since that day when she decided to leave him and went into hiding. After the murder of the Kiryuu's, it seemed that things had gotten too complicated for her and she had no choice but to disappear until things calmed down enough. She remembered that ever since her lover died, she had accepted that she would always be alone in this world. That she was destined to suffer for all eternity. Those were thoughts and it brought about such a terrible ache deep within her heart.

She had realized then and there that she was afraid of being _alone._

But then, she met that young man.

She would have never imagined that such a beautiful and kind person would be the son of those vampire hunters. The hunters she was determined to kill as revenge for their crimes against her. She had watched him from time to time after their first meeting but she never approached him again. She always gazed at him from afar as he went about his life without knowing anything about her true goal and her feelings. She saw how those hunters, the ones who killed her lover, treated their son. And as she watched the family interact, she had realized the best revenge she could possibly give to them.

One that didn't involve having to kill the young man as well.

A plan that would ensure that she would get what she wanted.

It was like killing two birds with one stone.

Everything else fell into place soon afterwards and she had murdered the two vampire hunters while she had spared their precious son. After all, she had decided since long ago that he would be the perfect person to have by her side.

She saw once how those unique amethyst eyes of his burned with hatred for her and she found herself being amused by it. How long has it been since someone gazed at her that way? No one had the nerve to defy her for so long that she found that notion to be endearing. She already knew that she wanted him to_ love_ her. To _want_ to be by her side. She knew that he hated her deeply and that he despised her for what she had done to his life. But that could change. He belonged to her after all. She could easily take away those painful memories. She could have him start from scratch again. He didn't have to remember _anything_ else about his past. She would even _teach_ him to love her. And she would love him back.

She was a pureblood after all. This sort of feat isn't impossible for someone like her.

But other vampire hunters had arrived before she could finish what she had set out to do. She left him with a promise that she would come back for him someday. After all, he was now the only person in the world who could drive away her loneliness even if he didn't want to be with her. She didn't think that she could stand another year being separated like this and she knew that his time was almost up. He would be almost at his own limits. The curse had already spread throughout his body.

But she wouldn't let him escape her grasp by choosing to die.

"_You would never be able to escape your fate, my dear Zero…"_

She would do anything to take him back and she would not let those wretched hunters get in her way again. No one would be able to stop her this time from having him.

"_The time is drawing near…"_

Her light red eyes looked kind of sad as it reflected on the cold surface of the glass across from her. She walked towards it and touched it as though she were looking at another individual's reflection. Her long white hair framed her beautiful face just like an unearthly spirit. The white kimono she wore fluttered along a gentle breeze. Every one of her features reminded her of what she had lost all those years ago. She wanted to go back to those times. To those peaceful days where nothing else mattered. She wanted to be saved from her own loneliness. The gripping sadness that slowly consumes her own sanity.

'_Are you okay? Did something terrible happen?'_

'_If there is any consolation in the tragedy of losing someone you love… it's the necessary hope that maybe… it was for the best…'_

'_I'm glad you're okay…'_

She closed her eyes as she remembered their first meeting, it was only a brief encounter but he had left a lasting impression on her. She knew that he was unaware of her true nature back then or else he would have never approached her. He eased her suffering even for a little while. In that short moment, she felt the pain of losing the love of her life lessen because he comforted her.

A mere child yet so much more to her.

She didn't regret killing his parents but she regretted having to destroy his happiness.

She already knew that she had shattered his heart completely with that one act of revenge.

She opened her eyes once again and this time the sadness was gone. It was replaced by the burning fire of her determination. This time she would take him back regardless of whether he would willingly come or not. After all, she only needed to get back what she had lost. Everything else comes after that.

Even the Order of Lost Souls comes after that. She only joined that filthy organization for one purpose and she did not do it out of loyalty for its leader. She hardly cared about what it did as long as it did not interfere with her own plans. They could conquer the world for all they want to as long as they left her alone to do what she wanted.

"Zero Kiryuu…" she whispered his name as she smiled to herself. Relishing in the promise of what would come in the future. Suddenly a sound of gun being fired brought her out of her thoughts. She moved a few steps back as she gazed coldly at the other end of the alley. Despite her neutral features, her eyes betrayed the anger she felt at being interrupted with her important musings.

"What are you planning this time, vampire? Haven't you done enough to that kid?" a deep voice shouted with anger and contempt.

Shizuka Hiou turned her attention at the vampire hunter with a hint of anger in her light scarlet colored eyes. She kept her gaze steady and calmly faced the man who did not fear her status or her power. She could see the fair outline of an anti-vampire shotgun pointed straight at her chest. This man had been chasing her for years it seemed. He had been one of the primary individuals responsible for the failure of her plans in the past. A thorn in her path to be exact. A dark, seething rage overtook her heart and it leaked through her suppressed aura. She wanted nothing more than to tear this man to shreds for his insolence. "Touga Yagari… a pleasure to see you once again," she whispered softly, trying to contain her raging emotions.

"Don't even think that I won't shoot you down this time vampire. I only need your blood and I am familiar enough with your kind to know that your body won't turn to dust the moment I kill you," Yagari said in a dangerous tone as he stood his ground and kept the weapon trained on the pureblood in front of him. The tone of his voice suggested that he was serious about his threat. "I promised years ago that I won't let you near that kid no matter what happens and you should know that I am a man of my words," he added seriously. He had never forgiven her for what she did four years ago and he would be damned if he let this vampire ruin Zero's life more. He knew that the kid deserved better and he would do anything to make sure it comes about.

Even if all of this actions and steps went against his teachings as a vampire hunter. Even if he had to disobey the rules of the Hunter's Association just to ensure that Zero would have a future away from this monster.

Given the choice of having his pride as a vampire hunter intact or having Zero live the life he never had. Zero would always win hands down. Of that he was quite sure.

"Do you really believe that _someone_ like _you _could harm a pureblood like _me_?" Shizuka asked darkly as she gazed at Yagari with pure hate. "I think that you have overestimated your abilities as a vampire hunter too much and it seems that you are mistaken in thinking that I am weak like the others of my kind," she added as she kept her rage in check but this _hunter_ was seriously grating in her nerves. She remembered how he stood in her way so many times. Derailed a lot of her plans and forced her to flee on so many occasions. This man had angered her to no end but fighting him would only lead her enemies straight to her like some kind of beacon.

"We'll just have to see about that," Yagari answered back. "I'll show you bloodsucker what a true vampire hunter really is," he added in a confident tone as he readied himself to attack the pureblood woman in front of him. He had hoped some time ago that it wouldn't come to this moment. He didn't want to risk ending the fragile coexistence between the vampires and hunters but he knew that Shizuka wouldn't give her blood willingly. She would let the poor kid suffer instead. If killing her so he could take her blood would save Zero, then he was willing to do just that. The consequences didn't matter to him anymore. It had always been like that for four years. And it would continue to be so even in the future.

He should've known that she wouldn't give up that easily. He had always predicted that she would come after Zero but he didn't really know the exact reason. He could only guess as to what she had planned for the young man. He didn't want to think that she wanted to finish what she started. That despite everything she had done, she wasn't satisfied to let things end with the Kiryuu couple's death. He couldn't let her do as she pleased because he promised…

He promised in their graves that he would protect their son.

And he always kept his promises.

Every single one of them.

"There is no need for such a thing to happen, Touga Yagari. It seemed that I have overstayed my welcome in this city," Shizuka uttered as she smiled at him. "Don't forget, there is always next time and I can assure you that you won't get in my way again. I would accomplish my goals one way or another," she uttered with seriousness as she kept her features neutral. Right now, she didn't want to waste her time with this interruption. Besides, she knew where Zero was and that was enough for her. Soon, she would finally have him all to herself. She closed her eyes as dark winds came out of nowhere. There was a rustle of clothes and finally she was gone, not even giving Yagari time to react, leaving no trace of her presence there at all.

The only thing that reminded anyone that she was there were pieces of sakura petals and the faint echoes of tiny bells.

Yagari was momentarily distracted by what she said and he stared unseeingly at the empty alley, cursing himself for not reacting sooner. It seemed that he needed to keep an eye out on Zero more than usual. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and took out his lighter. He watched the smoke trail lazily from the end of his stick. After a few minutes, he decided to leave the place. He knew that Zero would want answers. He only hoped that at least he could protect that kid like he promised to the Kiryuu couple.

After all, their murderer stated her interest on their child.

He was also worried about Zero's condition. It had been days since he last saw the kid and he recently got a call from Kaien Cross stating that Zero had another attack. The times of the attack had gotten shorter and Yagari was certain that he needed to get the blood from Shizuka soon.

He sighed deeply as he contemplated the problems he was facing.

He gazed up at the night sky and knew that it was time to head back to the Dark Woods Library. It was time that they faced their problems head on instead of running away from it. He knew that Cross would need to do something about the dark organizations and the mysterious final grimoire.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Kaname Kuran stood near the windows of his room and the maroon-colored curtains were drawn back, giving him a good view of the broad expanse of the garden below. There were several people already walking about but he figured that since it was only six in the morning, some of the others were still fast asleep. He wanted to do that as well but found out later on that he was already wide awake, so instead of doing nothing, he just went about his room preparing for today's work schedule. It had already been a week and a half since he arrived at the Dark Woods Library and as of now, he was already familiar with most of the things he was supposed to do.

He could not contain the surprise that bubbled up inside of him when someone else came up to him the morning after his arrival and acted as his library tour guide. That person was a petite young woman with short brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. She introduced herself as Yuuki and her overly cheerful behavior reminded him completely of the head librarian. Later on, he found out that she _was_ Cross' only daughter. It surprised him nonetheless since he never expected Cross to be married and least of all, have a child of his own. That concept just did not appear in his mind for even a second.

As she toured him all around the large library which consisted of four separate buildings, his thoughts kept on shifting to that silver haired young man named Zero Kiryuu. Despite meeting Zero for that short period of time, he felt a certain attachment to him that even someone like him could not quite explain fully. Even if Yuuki made up a very nice and cheerful company, he very much wanted to spend his time with the stoic young man. It was definitely weird for him to feel that way at all about anyone, but he reasoned that maybe it was because he wanted to be on good terms with his supposed partner.

It would not do him any good after all if his partner decided to dislike him. According to the schedules and such, he would be usually spending his time with his partner and unwanted feelings such as hate would get in the way. Yet, that worry was all for nothing when he remembered what kind of person Zero was.

In that small interaction, he had seen how _emotionless_ his partner was and he wondered what happened to the young man to end up that way. His movements and facial features didn't give anything away and Kaname was glad that he was a rather perceptive person. The only part of Zero that was readable was his eyes and despite that, there were times that it was too well-guarded to enable even him to discern some shred of feeling. He seemed to have ended up with a difficult person but nonetheless he enjoyed a good challenge.

He would make sure that one day he, Kaname Kuran, would be able to make Zero Kiryuu open up.

While thinking about his partner, he suddenly remembered Yuuki's weird reaction when he inquired about the young man.

'_You see… he…well, he had something important to do for the head librarian. It was urgent so he had no time to tell you about it,' Yuuki said promptly but her eyes seemed to tell a different story altogether. There was something in those brown orbs that Kaname noticed quite subtly. 'He wanted to apologize for not being able to offer his assistance since this was his job after all,' she added in a less cheerful tone than before. There was a forced smile in her face and Kaname was sure that there was indeed something amiss._

'_It is quite fine with me. That is part of his job as well and I understand it completely,' he replied in a gentle tone as he tried to put together the pieces of Yuuki's behavior. For him, it seemed as if she was hiding something important. And his intuition told him that it was something worth knowing about. 'I hope that he comes back soon. I haven't been acquainted with him properly after all and he is supposed to be my permanent partner,' he added after a while._

'_I hope so as well. It's been really different if he's not here to tease me or talk to me about things,' Yuuki uttered with a hint of sadness in her tone. As if she realized that her mask was slipping, she forced herself to smile once again. 'Umm… let's head on to the next building then,' she added and her cheerfulness returned as if trying to drown the somber mood from before._

'_By the way, if I may ask, how long have you and Zero known each other?' he asked with a hint of curiosity. He reasoned that he just wanted to find out some things about his partner and it wasn't as if he was going to press the matter if Yuuki didn't want to talk about it. There was just something about Zero that he couldn't quite put a finger on and he definitely wanted to find out what it was._

'_Let's see. He arrived here about four years ago and he became an official librarian a year later. He is the youngest member back then since I only became a librarian about a year ago. He hasn't changed much all those years now that I think about it,' Yuuki said cheerfully. 'Zero may appear cold and detached most of the time, but he's a really caring and kind person,' she added as she stared at Kaname with her brown eyes._

'_I know. I may not look like it but I am quite perceptive person,' he told her gently. _

_Yuuki laughed, her eyes shining with joy. 'I see. Well, since you put it that way, Kaname. Please take care of Zero since he's pretty reckless when it comes to certain things especially during missions.'_

He only nodded his response to her words and the tour commenced afterwards in a good note. The day passed by uneventfully for him and looking back, it seemed that time had flown by so fast. Despite that, he had not seen nor met again with Zero. The last time he had glimpsed his partner was way back when he arrived in this place and that hasty disappearance didn't help one bit to settle his nerves. He was honestly a little bothered about it and the vague answers he received from some colleagues when he asked about why his partner was nowhere to be seen fueled his suspicions that they were hiding something important from him.

And that secret somehow concerned Zero Kiryuu.

_No point trying to get myself worked up over it. I'll just ask Zero in person when I see him,_ he thought to himself before sighing deeply.

His musings then centered on the other librarians he had met and he was surprised to see that Zero had been partly right in his statement the first time they had talked to each other. Everyone here seemed to be different than what he expected. Some of them didn't seem to take things seriously and preferred to breeze through things. Of course, there were others who did take things seriously though on a whole new level. All in all, the librarians at this place were a fascinating bunch of individuals and he was now certain that there would never be a boring day from now on.

Foremost, there was Zero Kiryuu, his supposed partner in missions or assignments. Aside from that brief conversation, he had not seen the silver-haired young man since then. Zero was an enigma and a puzzle to him. There was just something about the young librarian that strikes him as odd but despite that, he quite liked his partner. He was on the serious and cold side of things, but there was a hint of kindness and warmth beneath that exterior as Yuuki seemed adamant in pointing out. One thing he could not forget about Zero was his calculating and intense gaze which somehow sent his nerves alight. His heart also skipped a beat at that moment when their eyes met. His own _heart!_ He didn't want to think about why it did such an action because he knew where it would suddenly lead to.

He mentally coughed and steered away from those weird and dangerous thoughts.

Then there was Yuuki Cross. The young woman who toured him around the library and who seemed to know Zero very well. A cheerful and optimistic person in his point of view. She was usually at the front desk, talking to visitors or clients. Her only problem was her clumsiness which Kaname had a first hand experience during their tour. He tried not to dwell on the fact that she got lost on some parts of the library and when she almost fell down the stairs. Luckily, he had good reflexes and caught her before she fell and hurt herself. It was then that Yuuki admitted that she messed up at missions sometimes.

He somehow felt sorry for her mission partner with that confession.

During the tour, he had been introduced to Lilianne Meitzen. A young woman who had a gentle and soft-spoken demeanor. She was currently looking at the spell books in the first basement of the main building. He learned from Yuuki that Lilianne was a spell caster and had descended from a long line of sorcerers. Nothing much was known about her except that she came to the library unannounced three years ago and expressed her wish to become a librarian. And her partner, Kaito Takamiya, was a former vampire hunter from the Hunter's Association. The two girls assured him that Kaito isn't biased in his opinions about vampires and they were sure that Kaito wouldn't judge him because of his true nature. He had yet to meet Kaito but if what the others told him were true, Kaito is someone easy to get along with.

The meeting was unexpected but he did learn quite a lot from Lilianne's explanations regarding magical theories and spell casting. She was pretty knowledgeable about vampire magic as well and he quite liked the lessons. Kaname noted that she had also mentioned the same thing as Zero regarding grimoires.

'_Grimoires are dangerous things with its contrasting common wisdom and altered laws. It has its own poisons, regardless of good and evil.'_

Surprisingly, he also met up with Takuma Ichijou, who was someone he met a long time ago. He didn't think that his childhood friend would be working here as well. Takuma was still as cheerful and easygoing as he had in the past. It somehow made Kaname feel a bit nostalgic. He was also shocked by the appearance of his cousin, Senri Shiki. Takuma told him that he and Senri started working here about a year ago. It made him quite glad to have someone he could easily share his concerns with. Takuma was a pretty good listener after all.

After that, Yuuki told him that there are many other librarians working for this library but only a few were using the dorms at the east building. Kaname discovered that the librarians were made up of different races like humans, vampires, hunters, spell casters, and now a pureblood vampire was added to the mix. But it was fascinating to learn that everyone got along well despite the light banter and differences here and there. It seemed that coexistence existed in such a small place like this.

Looking back at those discoveries, he never regretted coming to this place at all. And he would still feel that way in the future.

He was broken out of his thoughts when he heard a soft knock on the door. Without wasting any second, he walked the length of his room to see who it was.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

_Innocent and pure… the color that fell from the skies…_

_It was snowing._

_It fell quietly… so calm that it was startling… yet beautiful, amazingly beautiful…_

_That day._

_That moment where it all ended and where it also began._

_It was winter and snow fell harshly throughout the small town in a heavy blanket. Even the ugly things turned beautiful in that season. Yet somehow, it was also cold and lonely. It was as if everything was devoid of colors and feelings. There was no one else. The sights and sounds had been jumbled and all that he could hear was his harsh breathing. The fear was there. _

_In his heart._

_And in his soul._

_She was there. He felt it. _

_That night. That fateful night._

_He knew something was wrong, the moment he saw the opened doorway. As he treaded on the usual path, he saw blood lining the snow. Little flecks of crimson against the pure white. His heart thudded on his chest and fear crept into his veins. He refused to believe that what he would see was real. The door was taken of its hinges and weapons were scattered about the house. There was a fight. Of that he was quite sure._

'_Please don't let it be real…'_

_He whispered those words as he entered and he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw it. Blood. His own family's blood. It was a crimson color that he knew would haunt him forever. He felt like the world crashed down on him and tears fell openly from his eyes. _

_The sound of bells…_

_Her presence._

_Her cold touch._

_He didn't even have time to turn around as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. His eyes widened in fear as she held him and whispered in his ears those words. The words he was sure would follow him over and over again if he ever survived this event._

'_Don't worry, my dear Zero. When the day that the pain becomes too unbearable, I will come for you again. After all, you are destined to join forces with me. And I will make sure that no one would come in our way again.'_

_Everything was a haze afterwards. He couldn't remember what happened that time._

_It was as if he had forgotten something important._

_He could only feel her hands, running through his hair as he gazed at her with deep hatred. It was the only thing he could do since his body refused to move. He willed himself to feel only that burning anger and hide away his fears. Hide away his feelings from this woman._

'_You cannot escape from your destiny, Zero.'_

'_You and I are destined to be together…'_

'_For eternity…' _

Zero woke up with a start amidst the echoing noise of the clock as the dream ended in a flash.

Striking bright rays of sunlight filtered through the gaps of the closed blue drapes, mildly illuminating his darkened room back at the Dark Woods Library. The pieces of furniture in this particular room were well-furnished ones and the floor seemed to be covered by a plush carpet the same color as the curtains. All in all, the place seemed to be built for comfort and relaxation. There was a duvet near the windows whose covers were of some lighter color in the shade of blue and on it lay Zero Kiryuu.

He stayed silent as the alarm clock rang that six in the morning and he turned his gaze to see that the sun had already fully risen. He lay down on his bed, staring at the blank ceiling, wondering about the dream and some things that happened the last few days. Yagari had visited him a couple of times but he was too sick to remember what they talked about. Cross mentioned that aside from those who knew about his condition, no one else had figured anything suspicious about his sudden disappearance.

And it would remain that way for as long as possible.

It had been almost a week and a half since the sudden attack back at Kaname's room and he had to endure being in bed during those times, listening to Yuuki worry about him incessantly and berate him for not even trying to take care of himself properly. He knew that she was pretty worried and concerned about him but she had to accept the fact that it was a situation that couldn't be helped. Having an attack like that rendered the blood tablets as well as his specially made medicine useless. He felt quite guilty that he had to take blood from her again to help ease the pain on his body and to stop the blood lust from gaining control of him. Even if Yuuki assured him always as he took from her that it was fine, that she was doing this to help her family, it still didn't sit well with him. It always reminded him fiercely of what he was. The monster he believed himself to be. He realized that maybe it was one of the reasons he didn't want other people even some of his co-workers to know his true nature. He wanted to be treated as normally as possible but he knew that it would be a matter of time until the truth was uncovered.

If so, he could still use the time left, couldn't he?

Most people who knew about vampires thought of them as beasts. Or monsters. Which ever they preferred.

Zero draped an arm over his eyes after a while and sighed as he pondered over his thoughts. He remembered that he was of the same opinion quite a few years back. He thought that vampires were just monsters and nothing more. Filthy bloodsucking creatures that prey on humans just to survive. Those who live on blood and brought nothing but disasters.

How ironic it was that he became that which he had hunted with his parents when he was still a young child.

He hated himself deeply in the past especially when he realized that he could never go back to those peaceful days. In those primary days, he did not show any will to live, he preferred to just waste away so that he would never get hurt again. He avoided everyone as much as possible and opted to spend his time alone. He truly hated his existence back then and he wished that someone would just end it. He could not take anymore of those attacks and he would prefer a swift death over that. But, interacting with everyone changed all of that. Somehow, he began to let go of his hate and self-loathing. He learned that maybe vampires weren't different from humans after all. Just as there were good people and bad people. The same applied to vampires. He learned to accept that fact even if it hurt him a bit. Of course, he wouldn't be able to do so if he never went here in the Dark Woods Library and met Yuuki Cross, Touga Yagari, and everyone else.

After all, he knew just like everyone else that no one can ever change the past and no matter how much he held on to it, nothing will ever change. The truth was kind of painful to accept and it took some time for him to accept that fact.

He regained his will to survive but despite that, he chose to keep his emotions locked up. He just couldn't bear to show his weakness and remind him of that tragedy. It did not matter if people thought of him as uncaring and cold-hearted. This was his only defense and somehow as years passed by, he seemed to gradually forget what some certain feelings were all about.

He sat up on the edge of his bed as he took two pills from the bottle on his bed side table and downed it together with a glass of water. He hoped that he wouldn't have an attack like the one that happened a week ago. He didn't want to waste time after all. He looked at the folder sitting on the table a few feet from him, one that had the details about a certain mission he had yet to take. He had already decided to take Kaname with him just as Cross suggested some time ago.

_Kaname Kuran…_

He didn't really know what to think of his partner, aside from the fact that Kaname was very different from everyone he ever met. He already knew about the famous Kuran family name and he realized that his partner was very different from what he imagined him to be. After all, Kaname didn't really act the same as any vampire he knew. He thought that he would hate Kaname on first sight but surprisingly, he felt at ease with him. It somehow made him a bit curious to know why it happened.

He had only met Kaname Kuran once but it felt like he knew him from so long ago. It was as if he had always known who Kaname was. It was weird to say the least but he really felt that way. It was not like him, he really didn't get along well with other vampires especially a pureblood vampire one at that.

But for him, Kaname was a different case.

For one thing, Kaname did not act like a pureblood and there was something about this pureblood was likeable enough. He did not treat others like dirt and trash like some of the others he met. It was true that he could see in the pureblood's eyes his determination and kindness. And Zero also knew that his partner could be quite cunning when he wanted to be. All in all, Kaname was definitely someone worth studying.

Maybe this time, he would get to understand some of the emotions he had forgotten.

He sighed as he pondered about those things. Why was he so curious about Kaname? Why did he feel differently about that person? He had asked himself that a couple of times when he was resting but he could not find a definite answer to those questions. It was true that they met only recently but being with Kaname had been so normal. Well, he was his normal indifferent self but Kaname did tolerate his presence. Like it was just an everyday occurrence. Kaname was easy to talk to and a good listener at that. He was serious in his job and it was something Zero favored well since the others here were pretty rowdy and careless.

Zero also knew how dangerous it was for someone else to be close to him like that, seeing as he wasn't human in the first place and that someone was after him. He wondered how many screws were loose in Cross' head to suggest such thing as having a partner. But then, it might be his selfishness speaking, he didn't want to let this opportunity go. As a trained librarian and former vampire hunter such thinking was unacceptable, but right now he was just Zero. Just a person seeking company and satisfying his curiosity about some things. But then in the future, if all he would do was hurt Kaname's feelings and reputation, he promised that he would end this semi friendship and partnership without thinking twice.

Wouldn't it be better?

Before both of them regretted ever meeting each other.

He shifted his thoughts away from those and focused instead on the problem he had for four years.

The one concerning Shizuka Hiou.

He knew that she would come back someday and it sent fear to his whole being, knowing that she was out there waiting for the right time. He didn't want to think about what would happen if she ever appeared before him again. After all, he had no power to stop her completely. And with his condition getting worse, he knew that he would have a hard time fighting her. It was a losing situation for him now that he thought about it.

And he also knew that the time was almost here. The voice he heard in his head seemed stronger this time and he faintly felt her close by.

He closed his eyes and tried to forget about that issue for a while. It wouldn't do him some good worrying about those things all the time. He opened them and sighed deeply before standing up to get ready for the day. He hoped that taking a mission would help him forget about his problems for a while.

A few minutes later, he grabbed his jacket from the closet and put a scarf around his neck. He didn't want to risk Kaname seeing something on his neck and exposing what he was to his partner. It wasn't the right time. He went over the mission in his head as he gazed at the words written on the folder.

_Looks like it's time to pay Kaname a visit,_ he thought as he strode out of his room and into the hallway, heading to the door at the end of it. He stood in front of it and knocked softly, waiting for the person inside to answer it.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

There was a soft knock on the door and Kaname instantly crossed the room to see who it was. He wondered if it was either Yuuki or Takuma paying him a visit again. His childhood friend came most of the time to have a little chat or a cup of tea and Yuuki sometimes dropped by to hand him some announcements from Cross. As he opened the door, the person waiting outside was definitely the person he least expected to see.

Zero Kiryuu stood in front of his room, looking up at him with the same intense gaze as last time.

"It's been a while hasn't it, Kaname?" Zero said in greeting as he tried to shove the thoughts about what happened here last time away from his mind. He could clearly remember the disastrous first time in this particular room and he wondered what Kaname had thought about his sudden disappearance. He hoped that his partner didn't suspect anything amiss. The last thing he needed was for Kaname to find out the truth about him.

"It sure has, Zero. I was surprised to see _someone else _take me on a tour around this place," Kaname replied calmly though he emphasized the word someone else. He gazed at his partner for a while and he noticed that Zero was wearing a scarf again though in a different shade of blue this time. Somehow, he felt happy to see that Zero was finally back and he thought that maybe he would have the chance to get to know more about this mysterious individual. It had been so long since they had last seen each other and despite their first short meeting, he was sure that he definitely liked the silver-haired young man's company.

"Something unexpected came up," Zero answered vaguely in a toneless voice that Kaname was left to wonder what it was about. Though, he was prudent enough not to press the other about that matter. It was quite obvious that Zero was trying to avoid the subject as much as possible and he had to admit Zero was hard to read right now.

"What brings you here, Zero? I have a feeling that you're not here to have a little chat," Kaname uttered as he changed the subject for Zero.

Sensing that Kaname had changed the subject on purpose, Zero let his defenses down a little bit and though he would never show it, he was glad to avoid the subject of his disappearance. "Let's take a walk around the library. I'll tell you the details along the way," he replied in the same tone.

Kaname nodded in response and picked up a jacket from his room before following Zero outside. They went down a flight of stairs and made their way towards the gardens located near the west building.

"Cross wants us to go on a field mission or rather, he wants you to take one to get a feel for it," Zero told him as they passed a number of people who greeted them cheerfully. Though some seemed to avoid Zero's eyes completely. "We're supposed to leave tonight so getting a good rest would be the best option," he added.

"A field mission? I somehow did not expect to go on one so soon."

"Apparently, Cross trusts your talents and of course, I am not lying when I tell you that I am partly interested as well," Zero replied in a straight tone. He sighed mentally as he went over the mission details in his head. This particular one had been handed to him a day before he met Kaname and he thought that maybe it was time to retrieve the book. "Our mission this time is to retrieve the Celaeno Fragments."

"I see that it involves a rather well-known grimoire," Kaname commented as they stood under a giant maple tree. He remembered reading about that book and it referred to a huge library of alien literature. But aside from that, the book contained several spells that he was sure to be very dangerous in the wrong hands.

"The reports stated that someone stole this book from its hiding place and the library therefore wants it back before it could cause some damage."

"It doesn't seem much like an average mission to me," Kaname replied truthfully.

"Considering those facts, we might be in for a fight."

"You seemed quite okay with that prospect," Kaname commented lightly.

"Not really. But it has been a while since I went to a mission like this one," Zero answered as he leaned against the thick bark of the tree. His eyes had a far away look to them that Kaname knew that his partner was thinking about something important.

"I thought that you always do missions like these," Kaname asked with a hint of surprise present on his tone.

"I… went to a vacation of some sorts," Zero answered and Kaname knew that it was only half of the truth. There was something his partner was hiding from him and he hoped that one day Zero might trust him with that secret as well. "We should get going. Breakfast would be ready in the dining hall by now," Zero added as he started leaving but a hissing noise caught his attention.

From the distance, he and Kaname saw a large black cat running in their direction. The cat seemed bent on avoiding something and Zero caught a glimpse of a pentagram on its collar. They heard shouts in the distance, a woman's voice to be exact. In that one split second, the cat tackled Kaname who quickly lost his balance at the sudden force of the feline.

He fell backwards as the weight of the rather large feline descended upon him. His fast reflexes wasn't even enough to maintain his balance as he began to topple backwards aided by the weight of the cat.

Zero reached out a hand automatically to steady Kaname but as luck would have it; his sense of balance was severely disrupted by Kaname's momentum and weight. He vaguely heard Lilianne offer a swift apology as she dashed off in search of her running familiar. The one who caused this – _this mess to happen_. He tripped forward as Kaname fell backward, dragging him along to the ground swiftly.

He expected to hit the earth but what happened instead was he fell on top of Kaname. His eyes closed as a reflex to the pain. He then put a hand on the ground and lifted himself a bit. He did not utter a sound despite the impact earlier on and he heard Kaname mutter something indistinct, after a few seconds he opened his eyes. In that one moment, the two became aware of their rather _intimate_ position.

Zero was on top of Kaname with only a hand on the ground supporting him. One of his knees was positioned in between his partner's own. But what surprised them the most was just how _close_ their lips were from touching each other.

Kaname couldn't help but be surprised by the sudden turn of events. He could only gaze numbly at the person on top of him. He saw Zero's own surprise in those amethyst orbs since his face did not show anything upon realizing what happened. His eyes drifted to Zero's and he saw clearly how fascinating his partner's were. Seeing Zero's eyes up close, Kaname could only think about how beautiful those amethyst orbs were.

After they recovered from the shock of being in close proximity to each other, maybe too close for comfort, the two stood up in a rush and quietly avoided each other's eyes for the moment. The embarrassment was too much and Kaname couldn't help but turn red from that brief event. The day seemed to be getting more and more out of norm for him. He hoped that it wouldn't be a permanent one. After all, he was quite used to getting things in control even his emotions. But somehow, being with Zero changed all of that drastically.

_He could only think about how close their lips were from touching…_

_Zero got that close to him all of a sudden… he could even feel his partner's breath. Wait! What the heck was he remembering! _

Kaname shoved those thoughts furiously from his mind and reprimanded himself for even thinking that way about his partner. He needed to focus but his thoughts were being redirected to that moment. He chanced a gaze at Zero and was momentarily surprised by what he saw in the other's features. His partner was blushing a little bit and was pointedly looking away from him. Somehow, his mind processed that it looked…

_Quite adorable._

He mentally smacked himself for those stupid thoughts again and he breathed in deeply. Things weren't getting anywhere if they stayed like this and he was sure that he didn't want this kind of atmosphere between them. This awkwardness had to go. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Well… uh… let's just forget that incident… ever happened," Kaname said uncertainly and he wondered where the hell his confidence went to. It was just there a second ago but when he began speaking, everything else became _blank_.

Zero suppressed a sigh and finally turned his gaze to Kaname. "Very well. Let's forget this ever happened then," he replied and he felt relieved that he wasn't the only one who felt embarrassed by it. He had finally calmed down enough and composed himself a little bit. At least, he was sure that he wasn't as shocked as before. "Well, we should get something to eat back at the dining hall instead of standing around here doing nothing," he added as he started walking away with his hands in his pocket and hoping that before he reached the building, he would forget the incident even for a bit.

"Sure, I think almost everyone's awake by now. By the way, I forgot to tell you something" Kaname said as he tried to say what he had been thinking about since that morning. There were lots of things he wanted to tell his partner but somehow he couldn't find the right words. He watched as Zero turned back to look at him. "Welcome back, Zero," he said gently as those two words came to him suddenly.

Zero was surprised by Kaname's words and somehow, it warmed his heart. He never really felt like this before and he even thought that he was not capable of such warmth and emotions. He left those things behind that day four years ago. Still, it didn't feel bad at all to accept this unexpected warmth for now.

"I'm back," he said in his usual tone of voice and stared at Kaname and tried to ignore the painful feeling in his heart.

'_Maybe I could still find some things to do with Kaname while I still have some time left…'_

'_After all, I already know that my time is running out…'_

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**Extra Notes:**

Celaeno Fragments – is credited to August Derleth. In his novel _The Trail of Cthulhu_, "Celaeno" refers to a distant planet that contains a huge library of alien literature. Professor Laban Shrewsbury and his companions traveled to Celaeno several times to escape Cthulhu's minions. Shrewsbury later wrote the Celaeno Fragments, a transcript of what he remembered of his translations of the books in the Great Library of Celaeno. He submitted the transcript, which consisted of about fifty pages, to the Miskatonic University library in 1915.


	3. darkness and truth

_Thank you for all those who've reviewed the last chapter and those who've added this to their favorites and alerts lists. =) School kept me busy the past few days so I haven't been able to update in a while. But finally, after a few days of hard work, I was able to sort my ideas and put up a new chapter._

_Please read and review… =)_

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**Chapter 3 – Darkness and Truth**

There was a complete and utter silence as Kaname Kuran and Zero Kiryuu drove away from the library that evening in a black Mercedes-Benz Vito van. The whole day had passed by so quickly and aside from that unexpected _incident_ that morning, nothing else had happened. And they thanked the heavens for that. Though, somehow, that little thing kept on replaying on both of their subconscious thoughts. It definitely took a lot of effort and control to keep their subtle reactions to themselves all throughout the day. Kaname was lost in his own thoughts and hadn't been paying attention to things which was quite unusual for the others who saw him. While Zero was more quiet than normal and was pointedly ignoring everyone else by refusing eye contact whatsoever which was also unusual for the others since they had gotten used so much to his sometimes curious glances or cold glares.

Now that they thought about it, it really didn't help one bit that they were usually working together and that they were going on a mission out of town with just the two of them. Period.

They had a feeling then that the heavens were against them.

Kaname's gaze was suddenly drawn to Zero who was currently driving the vehicle and looked as if he was thinking of something very important. He had noted for a while that there was always an air of something different around Zero that he could not quite figure out yet. There was a spark of some unfathomable power there and he came to the conclusion that Zero Kiryuu was not someone to be taken lightly. It sparked his interest to see what his partner would do in this mission. Was he strong just like the librarians he had heard about from rumors? And was he on par with purebloods like his damned uncle?

It was something he very much wanted to know.

Aside from those little mental notes, Kaname had found himself exceptionally drawn to Zero. He was always attracted to those silvery depths of his partner's eyes. The emotionless features and cold, dispassionate voice also took his attention. Somehow, all of those things hinted at some hidden emotion. _Was it sadness and despair?_ He was not sure about what emotion it could be but it was close to that word. He thought that Zero's nihilistic and logical outlook was a product of that emotion.

Was it too late for him to help his partner gain back the emotions he had lost?

"Is there anything you wish to ask of me or is there anything bothering you at the moment, Kaname?" Zero asked in a flat tone as he shifted his gaze to Kaname for a second. He had noticed for quite a while that the pureblood had kept glancing in his direction and he vaguely wondered if there was anything going on. He would not admit it in a million years but he was unnerved by the gaze and it did not help that he could still remember what took place that morning. It was the first time in four years that someone had gotten so close to him in that manner. The contact was _alien_ to him and he did not know what to do or how to react. It was taxing for him to keep calm despite what happened and pretend that everything was all right.

Zero was surprised to see Kaname's eyes look startled by his inquiry as if the pureblood was caught doing something inappropriate. In a few seconds, it was replaced with a neutral look that spoke of confidence and regality. _Typical pureblood expression,_ Zero noted suddenly.

"Nothing is wrong, Zero. I apologize for the slight disturbance. A matter of no importance to this mission suddenly came to my mind and I shouldn't have let myself be distracted," Kaname answered in a smooth and composed tone. Beneath that calm exterior, however, he was a bit unsettled. He did not even notice that he kept on sneaking glances at Zero and he was a bit mortified at being caught red-handed by the said person. It was hard for him to feign innocence and act composed for that but it was a good thing he managed to pull it off. He was also glad that Zero chose to remain silent after his statement.

Deep inside though, he wished that there was some hole he could borrow himself into. Couldn't he at least do something right this day? It wasn't as if this was the first time he had been in the company of someone his age. Most of the people he was associated with had pretty much made him used to other people's company. Yet what was the difference now. Because in the presence of this person, everything somehow went down the drain.

It was as if he was _learning_ how to talk and act around someone once again.

He had never met anyone quite like Zero Kiryuu. That was the only fact that kept on appearing on the forefront of his mind.

"You've been doing this job for almost three years, am I correct?" Kaname asked later on as he found that the silence was rather unbearable and suffocating. They had been on the road for almost two hours and he could see that it would take another hour or so before they arrived at their destination. He knew from the first time they met that Zero wasn't the type to talk much and even if he did it was only a few words. But Kaname wished that they could at least have a decent everyday conversation about anything. It was better after all than this thick and heavy silence.

"Yes," Zero replied in a toneless voice as he answered Kaname's rather unexpected question. He had never been much of a conversationalist regarding random subjects like those but he felt a little more at ease with the pureblood than other people. Probably because Kaname seemed more like a sensible person compared to the others he worked with. So having that thought in mind, he decided that having a little bit of conversation with Kaname wouldn't be a problem. "Do you have any ideas about what enemies we are going to face are like?" he asked as a random thought passed through his mind. Nowadays, there were only a few books that detailed anything about grimoire holders and level ends. Even if there were, some had very vague details and wasn't much of help in actuality. Especially in the missions that librarians like them were usually taking. He remembered Yagari ranting about that fact years ago.

Saying that librarians like Yuuki would get into so much trouble. Not that he found that fact surprising since Yuuki tended to mess up often. He also remembered her indignant reaction to that statement.

"Levels ends are usually vampires that lost their sanities and live on by preying on their kind as well as humans. Another kind of level end would be humans who dabbled in forms of black magic and rituals," Kaname answered automatically. "From what I've read so far, holders are individuals who harness the power of grimoires," he added as he summarized the book he read about those terms. He wondered for a moment what Zero was trying to do by bringing up this topic. But nonetheless, he felt quite happy that his partner did pay attention and was striking a conversation with him now.

"Well said," Zero replied as he recalled a conversation like this one almost two weeks ago. "There are level ends that could think for themselves and choose the path of carnage and destruction. They prefer to indulge in violence and bloodshed as dictated by one's own twisted nature. I know that you are well aware that among vampires, there are still many who hunt on humans," he added as he tried to block out the one memory he had associated with that. He saw Kaname's eyes grow serious with that statement. "Those who cannot see the darkness cannot resist its sweet temptation and are stained black. Eventually, the darkness envelops the light, controlling everything," Zero quoted afterwards and he knew that Kaname was wondering about the true meaning of those words. These were also words that his father had taught him all those years ago. And one that he kept on remembering always.

Zero did not really understand why he was making an effort to talk to Kaname and why he told his partner all those things. Deep inside, he knew that he wanted the pureblood to understand how librarians work and how different their job truly was. With the way things were going in their time, all of them were going to face different kinds of people especially holders and level ends. Maybe he wanted Kaname to see that not everything is in the shade of black and white. Zero felt at ease that the pureblood wasn't a member yet when he went on his last mission. Things went out of control that time and at least Kaname didn't witness what a _monster_ he truly was. Kaito and Yuuki were fine with it, but then… _what about the others?_

_What about Kaname?_

Zero shoved those thoughts aside and figured that matter could wait for a while. He focused instead on some other things.

Since meeting the pureblood, Zero had the impression that behind that cold, calculating and intelligent outlook, Kaname was a kind and caring person. It was a trait that could risk one's life in their line of work. He learned that lesson the hard way when he went on his first mission. In a way, Kaname reminded him clearly of his own past. The past he always tried to forget. But those days were long gone; he promised to himself that he would never make the same mistakes ever again. It was one of the promises he tried hard to keep. Still, he trusted that the pureblood could make good decisions despite of that. Kaname did seem to be a very capable and responsible person.

_Would everything change this time with Kaname's arrival? Or would all of us keep on repeating the same mistakes over and over again?_

His thoughts were interrupted suddenly as his phone began ringing. He slipped out of his reverie as he picked it up and cursed mentally whoever was calling him at this time. He really didn't like other people bothering him when he was out on a mission. It was a distraction he didn't need. If it wasn't something important, he was certain that he would be quite angry or something along those lines. He flipped the phone open and answered it in a monotone. He kept one hand on the steering wheel as he waited for the response on the other line.

Though he didn't know why, he had a bad feeling about the call.

Kaname turned his attention fully to Zero as the phone also broke his train of thoughts and he resisted the urge to smirk at the way his partner answered it. From Zero's tone of voice, no matter how straight it was, it seemed as if he was irritated over something and Kaname guessed that Zero must've been thinking about some important matters beforehand. He noticed his partner's eyes flashed dangerously for a second before it disappeared. But there was no mistaking it; Kaname saw it in Zero's eyes so clearly.

A certain shred of emotion.

_Anger._

"Did something happen, Zero?" Kaname asked afterwards, wondering what the call was about to put his partner in a terrible mood. He decided to wait for the answer since he was sure that Zero would try to think things through before answering him.

Zero mentally sighed deeply as he flipped his phone shut and tried to gather his thoughts. _Damn those old bastards!_ He thought angrily as he resisted the urge to lash out at anything and risk doing something to alert Kaname of his true nature. The Central Library finally decided to intervene with the Dark Woods Library and somehow, he didn't take too kindly to that. He had never forgotten what those higher-ups had been doing for years and he wanted nothing more to do with those people. But Dark Woods Library was a part of its jurisdiction and orders were orders. It wasn't as if they were given a choice for matters regarding the Central Library. Aside from the mission regarding the Celaeno Fragments, he and Kaname were now being sent to retrieve another book. He was aware that Head Librarian Cross hadn't heard of this mission or else, Cross would've protested in sending his librarians on a risky mission. That man might be too eccentric and weird most of the time, but he is fiercely protective of his employees. And would not hesitate to challenge the higher ups if necessary.

He knew that he and Kaname were good enough to handle the mission but then, there were still a lot of things to consider. He had only started taking missions and his condition wasn't in the best yet. Aside from that, he also didn't know what Kaname's abilities were. It was a risky thing on their part to go without any proper planning.

Zero got off from the highway as he tried to keep his erratic thoughts in order. He stopped the car at an alley and killed the engine. There were a few minutes of silence as he rested his head on the steering wheel. Kaname waited for him to start speaking and a few seconds later, he straightened up. He turned around his seat to face the pureblood and told him about the Central Library's decision. There really was no choice but to accept the rather unfair mission. Once this was over, Zero promised himself to see to the matters immediately. He saw Kaname thinking deeply about it but the pureblood nodded in understanding later on.

"I didn't think that your first field mission would turn out this way. I thought that you could have taken it easy on your first mission," Zero said as he gazed at the pureblood with his amethyst orbs. "I really don't understand what the higher-ups were thinking," he added, knowing full well that he really disliked taking orders from those types of people.

"It couldn't be helped, Zero. This problem wasn't a fault of yours so do not blame yourself," Kaname said calmly as he focused his attention to Zero. He could see a hint of worry on those silvery depths and he felt his chest flutter at the thought that Zero definitely cared about him even a little bit. He was already through with denying his stupid feelings. One thing was for sure, he was attracted to his partner in some unknown way. Zero's actions and words affected him more than anything else in this world.

"You've only just arrived here at the library and been told all kinds of stories as well as being forced to meet strangers who hardly cared about your status. I somehow feel bad for making you do this thing with me," Zero uttered as he looked away from Kaname. He really wished that he could do something about this matter. But there was really no time for any other form of action. He could take the mission by himself yet he was sure Kaname would refuse to stay behind.

"Don't worry too much, Zero," Kaname said softly as he felt the concern Zero had for him more strongly now despite the latter's neutral expression. His partner was really something to make a pureblood feel like this. It felt as if his heart was going to burst just by being with Zero. They had just met recently but his partner was making his feelings go haywire so easily. Was this how it felt to _like_ someone? It was truly stupid. Crushing after someone he barely even knew except for a few tidbits of information. Still, he couldn't quite explain it, he truly trusted Zero more than anyone else he knew. "For the meantime, we'll finish the mission before we look into what the Central Library wants to accomplish," he added seriously.

"I guess you are right," Zero replied as he turned his attention back to the car. Gunning the engine, he reversed the car and hit the road. "I don't really know what's waiting for us at that place. We may be walking into our enemy's trap. Are you certain you still want to go?" he asked seriously.

"Of course. I am a pureblood and I am sure that I can handle whatever it is we would face. Besides, giving up is not a part of my nature," Kaname answered confidently and silence reigned once more as Zero drove off to some unknown destination.

Kaname thought deeply about the present matter and hoped that they were wrong in their assumption that the Central Library had an ulterior motive. He had enough on his plate dealing with the Vampire Council and his uncle's stealthy actions. Moreover, he didn't want to risk involving Zero into his own personal matters. He decided that he wouldn't use Zero for his elaborate plans in the future. There was something in him that said that he couldn't risk putting Zero into that danger.

'_This is only the beginning. Everything would start from this point on.'_

**-xxXxxXxx-**

The sun had finally gone down when Zero pulled the car over in front of an abandoned building that looked to be a library many years ago. It was a huge structure but he was not worried about getting lost since he could easily feel the huge presence of the enemy. Even from the distance, he could tell the exact location of the level end or rather a _former _sane individual. The enemy didn't even bother trying to hide its presence from them. It would be an easy hunt it seemed. But somehow, he had a bad feeling about everything.

It was as if something was bound to go wrong.

Dead silence had reigned during the short drive after he told Kaname about the added mission, and the only sounds were the hum of the engine. There really was nothing to talk about and all they could do was focus on what would happen from this point on. There was nothing worst than being ill-prepared and unfocused on a mission that bordered on being dangerous.

He didn't really understand the purpose of the higher-ups in sending them on this mission. The whole matter was very confusing and he had a sneaking suspicion that the Central Library was planning something. It was a well-known fact throughout the city that relationships between libraries weren't that great at all. There were always tensions between the head librarians during the monthly meetings. Trust wasn't freely given anymore, not when there were libraries that went against the rules. And the most untrustworthy library of all was the famous Central Library.

_What was the point of sending them on this dangerous mission?_

He knew that their library was known to cause trouble every now and then. As well as having a number of enemies that steadily increased as time passed by. Still, Zero didn't know if that was related to this issue. It could be one reason. To take revenge on their library by giving missions that would prove to be dangerous. But, it was far too obvious for a foul play. The higher-ups wouldn't take the risk of losing the little trust placed in them. All in all, Zero understood that something bad was brewing. Maybe Kaname was right in saying that they needed to look into those matters later on.

He also began to think about what Kaname would think if the pureblood ever found out about his true nature. Since he was adept at using hunter charms, he could easily hide his aura and most people would think he was just a normal human or a vampire hunter. No doubt that it was the impression Kaname had of him. He didn't want to hide such a fact from his new partner but he figured that he needed time to think things through. Kaname was a pureblood vampire and Zero wondered what Kaname would think of someone like him. He didn't want the pureblood to think of him any differently. He hated those moments back in the Hunter's Association. Some hunters there treated him like he did not belong and pushed their hate for vampires towards him. It was an utter hell back then and he didn't want to go back to those times.

He understood that he was different from them and his lack of human emotions from time to time made them fear him a little. It wasn't as if he wanted everything to end up that way. He never wanted to become a vampire if he could help it. He had tried to continue following his parents' footsteps but he knew that it was impossible. Despite being cold and apathetic, the loneliness and pain deep within his so-called heart was killing him little by little. And unable to take much more, he left the association and became a full fledged librarian.

All because he never wanted to live in that hell anymore.

He gazed blankly at the building and hoped that he wouldn't need to exert himself too much and end up having to take another set of vacation. He had enough of staying in bed and he at least wanted to spend his remaining time doing things to help others. Or to spend these precious moments with everyone else.

Taking a deep breath, Zero put aside his unwanted thoughts and opened the door, stepping out of the vehicle. At this, Kaname looked up from his own deep thoughts, and climbed out of the car as well. He watched as Zero walked to the trunk of the car to retrieve something.

Kaname stood in the path and stared at the abandoned building with apprehension. His pureblood senses registered a faint aura of a human hunter. But there was something very sinister about that aura. This was his first field mission and he felt uncertain about things. He didn't want Zero to see what kind of person he was. He didn't want to relive the memories of the past and what he did back in those days. Despite not knowing much about his partner, he valued what Zero thought of him. And he didn't want to lose this fragile friendship and trust they had for each other.

He had done a lot of cruel things in the past that he did not want Zero to know. It was natural for a pureblood to be cruel to those who they deemed to be of lower status and he had partaken in acts that he knew would disgust his partner because of those human viewpoints.

He followed close behind Zero as they entered the building and from what they could both see, the place used to be beautiful. But now, time had ravaged it and turned it into ruins. The main waiting room looked bleak and there were various equipments still lying all over the place. Cobwebs had built all over and dust had accumulated from all the years it had been left abandoned. Kaname found it eerie that their footsteps seemed to echo so loudly and the lack of other noises only confirmed his suspicion that the enemy had been lying in wait for their arrival. It wouldn't be a surprise if they were ambushed any second now. He gripped the handle of a customized knife from his belt. It was made of pure silver and there were markings in its surface. This was his own personalized weapon. The rule breaker.

As they passed by the front desk, Kaname's attention was drawn to the weapon Zero was carrying on his left hand. It was a sword. Or a katana to be exact. It was the first time he saw a weapon like that in this line of work. Most of the librarians he saw on the media or papers used guns or any other firearms in their missions. They preferred long distance combat instead of a close quarter's one. He admittedly liked the scabbard's smooth surface though and seeing it, he somehow felt that the sword would be the same. He never had much fascination with weapons but he really found Zero's own weapon to be quite striking. Just then, another thought crossed his mind.

Did it mean that Zero usually engaged the enemies in a close quarter type of combat despite the risks?

He sighed deeply as he remembered what Yuuki had told him a few days ago.

_Yuuki laughed, her eyes shining with joy. 'I see. Well, since you put it that way, Kaname. Please take care of Zero since he's pretty reckless when it comes to certain things especially during missions.'_

_Reckless._ That was the word that took his attention completely. He realized that Zero usually put his life on the line in missions. Well, that was bound to change now because he promised Yuuki to keep Zero out of trouble. And a pureblood always kept his word. He also knew that deep inside, he didn't want to see Zero get hurt unnecessarily.

Meanwhile, Zero walked steadily on; aware of the number of presences that were heading their way. From what he felt, there were a couple of fallen vampires. He knew that they must've been attracted by the power of the grimoire inside this building. He stopped in his tracks and so did the pureblood. He closed his eyes in concentration and expanded his senses. There was a scent of fresh human blood in the air and Zero instantly knew that humans were killed mercilessly in this place. He hated that knowledge and swore to himself that he would take out this fallen vampire no matter what it took. Things were turning darker as he realized that the enemy must've been using the grimoire. He opened his eyes and turned to look at Kaname.

"Leave this to me for now. I think it would be an advantage for us not to let your presence be known to the enemy, Kaname," Zero said tonelessly as he brought his attention to the pureblood. He noticed the mysterious dagger Kaname had on his belt and wondered if it was his partner's main weapon. It seemed that Kaname was another close quarter's type fighter. Maybe using his Bloody Rose would be an advantage later on instead of his sword.

Kaname nodded his response and walked a few yards away from his partner. "Are you sure you would be able to handle things alone, Zero?" he asked with a bit of teasing and he saw Zero's eyes flash some emotion at him for that. He merely offered a smile as he leaned on the far wall, keeping his garnet orbs trained on Zero.

"I am quite sure of that, Kaname," Zero replied as he turned his gaze away from Kaname and focused his attention back to the corridor in front of him. He began thinking of his attack patterns and forced himself to prepare for a battle. "Don't underestimate me too much," he added after a while.

Kaname watched in the distance as Zero turned his back on him and wondered what his partner was going to do now. He was rather excited on the prospect of seeing Zero fight firsthand since Yuuki had mentioned that only a few people had ever seen Zero do battle at missions. He noticed a few seconds later the animalistic growls coming from the corridor ahead of them. There were noises like claws scraping the ground as the mysterious enemies charged at full speed. The sounds were getting closer and Kaname was sure that the enemy would be here any second.

He noticed then that Zero was pulling the blade from its scabbard and the bright flash of silver permeated through the gloom of the place. Just as he expected, the katana was very impressive and well-made. He instantly wondered who created such a fine piece of work. There were some symbols etched on its surface and he knew that those were inscribed with powerful charms.

The chain connected to the hilt of the blade echoed through the silence.

Kaname was taken by surprise as Zero swung the blade in a diagonal arc in the blink of an eye and there was a faint thud as the body of a fallen vampire descended to the ground. Blood oozed from its torn form and it stained the ground in a bright crimson. There were splatters of blood on the walls and ceilings from the arc of the swing. And few seconds later, the body disintegrated to ashes. If Kaname wasn't a vampire, he was sure that he wouldn't be able to follow the attack with his eyes.

_Very interesting._

He watched as Zero shifted the direction of the sword instantly in a horizontal pattern and sent another fallen into its demise. It continued on as Zero alternated between dodging and attacking the enemy. Kaname was amazed at the way his partner handled those numbers without breaking any sweat. Zero's skill with the sword was great and his speed was already close to a vampire's level. It made him wonder if Zero was a former vampire hunter since it would explain how he could fight so well and his knowledge about certain things.

If Zero really was a hunter, Kaname felt relieved that at least Zero wasn't as biased about vampires as some of the vampire hunters he met back in the days. Looking at the way Zero fought, he knew that his partner was very talented. As he watched the battle in front of him, all he could think about was how strong and amazing Zero was. Although it was rather disconcerting to see no emotion pass through his partner's features at all. Despite that, he knew that Zero wasn't cold-blooded and heartless. Zero wasn't like him or more specifically, the Kaname in the past.

There was a question in the back of his mind, what made Zero leave the Hunter's Association in the first place and start working as a librarian instead?

There were a lot of things he didn't know about his partner as well as the library. Of course, the same could be said for him. He left his position at the vampire world just to work in the Dark Woods Library without thinking twice. He chose this kind of lifestyle and he knew that some other people would wonder why. The people he met at the library didn't care about his reasons and he found no need to tell the details. Still, if his partner asked, he would gladly answer.

Kaname walked over to Zero who sheathed his sword back to its scabbard. Blood was everywhere but the bodies of the level ends were nowhere to be seen. In its place were piles of ashes instead. He stopped in front oh his partner, uncaring if his own shoes were getting soaked in blood. He vaguely wondered if Zero felt something after doing this. He could never believe that Zero didn't fell anything at all. No one should be okay with doing something like this.

What was it about the past that drove Zero to this point and shaped him to be the person he was now? Zero was still young but it seemed to Kaname that his partner never had much time to enjoy it. The pureblood refused to believe that this indifferent, apathetic, and cold-blooded person in front of him was the _real_ Zero Kiryuu. After all, he had witnessed the bits of a caring, gentle, and kind side to this wonderful person.

_Once again, blood had been shed because of me…_

Zero looked down at the puddle of blood that gathered around him. How many times had he been doing this? He knew that Kaname wouldn't think any differently of this since the pureblood was also raised in this kind of cruel world. They couldn't show mercy to the enemy and the only thing they could do was give those fallen vampires peace through their deaths. Contrary to what everyone else believed, he did feel an ounce of regret and sadness for these beings. Those who had been cursed into an existence that lived solely to satisfy their intense need for blood and unable to control that instinct. He knew that without everyone's help, he would've turned into something like this.

He heard Kaname approach him and he knew that Kaname would want to lend a hand this time. It seemed that both of them could feel a few more, deeper into the building and the numbers bothered Zero a little. Also, there was something different in the aura of the holder of the grimoire. Zero only hoped that what he felt was his own imagination.

He realized that he took too much time eliminating those fallen vampires and no doubt the enemy was already alerted to their presence and starting to make its move. He also knew that he was slower than normal because of his lack of vampire abilities. He had learned some time ago that he could tap a little in his vampiric nature to help him in battles. It was the only thing about being a vampire himself that he could tolerate. Without it, he couldn't synchronize well with his weapon. After all, this blade was made to fully use his abilities both as a hunter and vampire. Right now, he couldn't unlock its full capabilities.

He was trying hard not to alert Kaname of his second nature and he wondered if he could keep this up for long. Not when they would soon be facing a grimoire holder. He suppressed a sigh as he turned his attention to the pureblood who was quietly and patiently standing in front of him.

"This is my job as a librarian, Kaname. I've been killing level ends without complaint all this time. But sometimes, I think about how I really do not want to do something like this," Zero said after a while. "Cross told us once that our power can protect people and there are those who believe this power is needed. That's why we needed to fight," he added in the same usual tone of voice but there was hint of sadness there that Kaname detected. Somehow, he wanted the pureblood to understand that he didn't enjoy killing level ends like some librarians from other organizations. He didn't want Kaname to think of him as some sort of monster who enjoyed all of this bloodshed. He had enough of that from other people and he tried hard not to let what others say get to him.

"I understand perfectly, Zero," Kaname replied gently, secretly glad that Zero wasn't that emotionless and that his partner wasn't like the other people he met years ago. "We're not that different. Because if there is someone extending their hand to me… someone who needs me… I'll do everything I can to help that person. Right now, I think you're the one who needs help the most and I'm willing to move forward like that with you," he added as he started walking away and mentally smacking himself for saying that kind of thing. _Good going, Kaname. You just made things more awkward,_ he thought bitterly.

Zero was glad that Kaname turned away instantly and he brought up one of his hands to his face as he tried to hide the faint blush on his features. How could someone like Kaname evoke those emotions he never thought he even had? He cursed the pureblood for saying something like that from out of the blue. Though, he didn't deny the fact that it somehow made him feel a bit better. _Couldn't things get any more awkward between them, _he thought deeply as he followed his partner a few seconds later.

With those said the two of them headed further through the dark corridors. Zero found a set of stairs and they ascended it towards the second floor of the library. Zero felt a few remaining level ends in this floor and he shared a glance with Kaname who seemed to notice it as well. Kaname grasped the handle of his dagger and pulled it out from its sheath. Zero felt the charms embedded in it flare to life. He remembered Cross telling him that Kaname used a weapon called Rule Breaker. Apparently, it was a weapon that had been passed down in the pureblood's family.

Zero held the hilt of his own weapon, ready to draw it in a moment's notice. There was a huge chance that the enemies would try to ambush them in the dark. Fierce growls sounded and in a split second, a level end lunged at him. Before the talons could hit him, he sliced through it with his katana. He could hear Kaname fighting and he knew that his partner could handle things alone. He leveled his blade in front of him in a form of stance and prepared himself to attack.

He maneuvered his katana in a deadly arc and instantly sliced through a level ends body. He didn't break any concentration as the body thudded to the ground, the blood from its torn flesh staining the floor in a darkened shade of red. He moved to the right as he avoided a fatal blow to his heart and brought down his blade vertically before the enemy could evade, decapitating it. A split second later, he thrust it forward to another vampire, straight to its heart. Zero was sure that the level ends didn't even feel their life being snuffed out as he continued with his assault. He tried to make it as painless as possible with his katana. Always making sure that he hit the vital areas instantly.

Meanwhile, Kaname deflected an attack heading straight for him with his dagger and used his kinetic ability to slam the level end into the far wall. Another went forward but Kaname thrust the dagger into its vital area without delay. He ducked as another level end tried to slash through him with its long talons. He pulled back his hand in preparation as he swiped the dagger horizontally and made contact as the level end howled in pain. A few seconds later, he drove the dagger straight to its heart. He then blocked an attack aimed for his head with the dagger he was using and kicked the level end on its gut. He sidestepped as another went for his back and he pivoted around using his heel and slashed the dagger through its chest.

Zero was still having that sinking feeling that something bad was going to happen as he sliced through the last of the level end. He couldn't explain it but it felt like a terrible thing would befall them if they didn't leave this place immediately. He noticed that Kaname was living up to the expectations of those around him. The pureblood was very strong maybe even stronger than himself and even Zero had to admit that. He really didn't need to worry about Kaname at all.

Suddenly, his senses screamed that something was coming from up above and it was heading straight for them.

The ceiling crashed down on them but they evaded easily unlike the other level ends that were caught up in that as well. They looked at the rubble and saw someone standing there. Zero knew that it was the grimoire holder they were supposed to defeat. As the enemy appeared before them, he finally understood what it was he felt. This grimoire holder wasn't a vampire, it was a vampire hunter. A rogue one who surrendered his soul to the darkness and pull of power from the grimoire. He muttered a curse under his breath as he came to that realization. He felt angry at himself for not noticing that detail sooner. It only meant that he had to kill someone who used to work at the association and was a human once.

He knew that once a person lusted for power, that person's soul would be taken over by the grimoire. Leaving behind an empty shell which seeks to create destruction.

"A vampire hunter, am I right?" Kaname asked calmly as he gazed at a woman who had her back to them as soon as the rubble had cleared. She had long golden hair and knew that she was no older than him. Her white dress fluttered wildly and he noticed that they were somehow stained red with blood. _Seems like she had a lot of fun killing other,_ he thought with disgust.

"Yes. Based on the markings on her body, she must've used the Cultes des Goules," Zero replied as he saw the pattern of the grimoire writing on her arms. He already knew that this woman was already too far gone to be saved. The aura she emitted was vile and monstrous. "She's already a human spirit which turned into a monster," he continued in a serious tone.

"So that means no one could save her now," Kaname said softly as he gazed at the young woman in front of them. _Humans could also be corrupted by their greed for power._ Is this what Zero meant when he said that grimoires where dangerous objects? He could see clearly now why librarians collected these books. It was to ensure that there would be less casualties and that people would not be possessed by the darkness.

"We have no choice but to kill her," Zero uttered seriously as he gripped the handle of his swords once more. He could also see that Kaname did the same. There was no time to hesitate at all. Killing this woman would entail that there would be less casualties in the future. Frankly, Zero had no intention of losing his life in a place like this. He still had a lot of business left to finish after all.

"I know," Kaname replied, understanding the situation they faced.

The woman turned to look at the two of them and she regarded them with amusement. She looked so normal but they were not fooled. This person wasn't human anymore and would never be one again. "It's such a nice evening, is it not? The view inside this place is the best there is. He always loved hanging around places like this when he didn't have anything to do," the woman said pleasantly as she eyed the two mysterious individuals in front of her. "I think I've said too much. You're not here to chat are you? Are you here to kill me?" she asked curiously.

"It depends on what you think I am here for," Zero said calmly as he held the katana tightly and waited for the enemy to make a move. "Have you lost your senses? You're supposed to protect humans from level ends," he added after a while.

"Those people deserved to die after what happened to him. I didn't do anything wrong, I was only making sure that he got his justice," the woman said angrily. Her eyes burning with hate at Zero. It seemed that others do not understand what she was trying to say and she was now certain that the two in front of her didn't understand as well.

"So you think that it's just proper to do whatever you want? Did you even think about others as well as that person you're talking about?" Kaname answered seriously as he had heard the exchange between Zero and that woman. "In the end you're just acting on your own whims. There is no justice in your actions," he added and saw the woman's eyes turn black.

"What would you know? You people don't even know anything," the woman said in a venomous tone as her eyes turned completely black. "It doesn't matter anymore. My hunger would not be satisfied until I kill everyone including the both of you," she said as her hands transformed into long talons.

_She's turning into a complete monster._

Kaname and Zero thought at the same time as they lunged away from the enemy. The woman growled as she missed and tried to avoid an attack from Kaname. The attack and defense continued for a while. Zero then delivered a quick slash from his sword and woman tried to avoid but she was frozen in place by a force. She watched as Kaname's eyes turned red with the use of his power. The blow connected and the woman fell back, howling in rage.

"You bastards," the woman growled as she held her bleeding stomach. It seemed that her enemies' weapons weren't ordinary ones and she had been careless. She should've never underestimated them. She chanted a spell all of a sudden and the place was covered by some sort of magical rune. She then pulled a dagger from her belt and once again lunged at her opponents.

Kaname muttered a curse as he found out that his body couldn't move properly since the woman activated a rune. He also couldn't tap into his vampire abilities and it only meant that he was helpless in this situation. He realized that this must be the power of the grimoire and he cursed himself for getting caught like this. He saw that Zero still managed to move and it only meant that it was a spell designated for him only.

The woman failed once again when the silver-haired young man easily parried her attack and she wondered if she made a mistake in the binding. Would she have been more successful if she faced the other one instead? But the brunette felt like a pureblood and she didn't want to take chances. She decided to use a different tactic since it seemed that her opponent was concerned with his partner. She switched her attack to the brunette instead.

Zero's eyes registered surprise as he realized what the woman was going to do and he didn't have to think as he rushed towards Kaname's position. He wasn't concerned about whether or not he was doing the right thing. Everything just happened in a split second that his body decided to move in its own accord. There was no time to think about the repercussions of his decision. And he could only pray that he made it in time.

Kaname waited for the blow to descend on her and expected the dagger to slash through his immobilized body. But the blow never came. He felt himself being pushed away and the sound of chains echoed from somewhere. Kaname's eyes widened in surprise to see that Zero had helped him. Yet his partner was injured in the process.

Blood was dripping mercilessly through the ground. Staining it a bright crimson red…

Kaname saw that the knife punctured Zero's shoulder as he shielded the pureblood from the attack. Blood was pooling from under his partner since the injury was pretty deep. The woman laughed maniacally at the sight and stared at them with her deep black orbs. So dark that it was almost frightening. He saw Zero wince slightly in pain as the dagger was forced deeper into his shoulder.

Zero retaliated by bringing up the hilt of his sword to parry the woman but she backed away immediately. His arm fell to the side and the dagger was still embedded in his body. The enemy stared at his blood fixedly. Zero muttered something under his breath and the binding charm fell away. The pureblood found that he could move easily this time. Kaname rushed to his partner's side and saw that Zero was losing a lot of blood. He had to do something fast.

Zero was surprised as he felt a sudden surge of aura and the floor they were in collapsed without delay, bringing their enemy down with it. He felt an arm around his waist and it tightened briefly. Within moments, he noticed that Kaname leaped up to the hole gaping above them from the collapse earlier. He felt the breeze brushing past him as they landed at the third floor gracefully. He realized that Kaname must've been using his abilities as a pureblood. He was pulled away as they both headed deeper into the building in order to avoid the enemy for a while. Zero muttered a charm under his breath to ensure that the drops of blood on the floor wouldn't be noticed by their enemy.

As Kaname retreated with Zero, he found something different about his partner. The aura he felt for a second and the scent of blood wasn't like a human ones. He didn't notice it much before but right now, it was being noticeable. He didn't pay much attention to detail since his anger got in the way. When he realized what happened, his aura just suddenly flared to life. And then, things ended up this way. He was deeply worried about his partner's injury.

He went inside a room at the far end of the corridor and supported Zero inside before performing a barrier type charm in order to protect them from the enemy who would no doubt be after them. The holder wouldn't find them or notice their presence with it. He noticed that Zero carefully avoided his eyes as he passed him. His partner sat down on the floor at the back of the room they were in.

_Damn… I really messed this one up… Sensei is going to kill me if he finds out about this…_

Zero resisted the urge to sigh again as he thought about how stupid and reckless he had been. If anyone else found out about this, he would really get an earful. He knew that Kaname could take that attack but his body moved in its own accord. _Why did he want to save Kaname?_ He couldn't understand it at all. What was it about the pureblood that made him act differently and out of norm? He was never like this and he was afraid that Kaname was changing him little by little. And he couldn't afford that.

He couldn't let his own weaknesses take control of him.

Especially now when he knew that Shizuka was waiting for him to slip up.

And that his time was running out.

He leaned back on the wall as he felt the full effects of the anti-vampire poison. It wouldn't really kill him since it missed any vital organs and the poison wasn't the potent type. But he felt the agonizing effects clearly.

He closed his eyes at the pain and he willed himself not to lose consciousness. It was far too risky to be vulnerable like this and he really didn't like that feeling at all. It reminded him fiercely of the past. How powerless he was back in those days. Unable to do anything as his parents were slaughtered mercilessly and his life ruined by a pureblood vampire. He had never forgotten that day and he had never forgiven that woman. He could tolerate Kaname's presence but he still held some resentment to some vampires.

In those few seconds, he was steadily being pulled into the darkness until he heard Kaname's voice calling his name. He blearily opened his eyes to look at the pureblood's worried expression.

Zero saw and felt Kaname move closer to him but he couldn't register the pureblood in his senses clearly. He was more focused on the dagger embedded on his left shoulder. Looks like he fell to the enemy's trap but he was glad that Kaname wasn't the one who was injured badly. His right hand gripped the dagger tightly before wrenching it loose. He didn't even utter a cry of pain and promptly let go of the dagger which clattered noisily on the floor. _Damn it, the wound's not healing and I'm losing a lot of blood,_ Zero thought suddenly. He felt Kaname apply pressure to his wounded shoulder and he put his hand atop the pureblood's automatically.

"Zero, don't move too much, the wound would only become worse if you do that," Kaname said with concern as he tried to stop his eyes from turning red at the scent of his partner's blood. "I apologize for not being able to help you," he added with a hint of regret at his tone.

"Don't apologize. It's my own mistake for letting the enemy get to me," Zero said through gritted teeth as felt an onslaught of pain from his wound. He realized that the dagger must've been a powerful anti-vampire weapon. It explained why his injuries wouldn't heal and the terrible pain racking his whole body.

Kaname saw that Zero was slowly losing consciousness and he called his partner's name a couple of times to get his attention. Zero was very pale and he was breathing raggedly. His partner leaned heavily on the wall and was bleeding profusely from the wound. He wondered if there some sort of poison on the dagger. He could only wonder about the pain Zero must be feeling now. He cursed himself for not being able to help during that time. If he only moved faster, then this would've never happened in the first place.

Zero suddenly felt a cold wave spread throughout his frame and he felt something familiar and unwanted stirring in his chest.

_Oh God, please don't let this happen now._

He was suddenly very aware of the frantic beating of a heart beside him and he could easily smell blood radiating from Kaname. He tried with all his might to keep it under control but it seemed quite a useless battle with all the blood he was losing. He hated for Kaname to see him like this and he desperately needed his partner to leave while he still had some control of himself. He was going into blood lust and Kaname's presence wasn't helping one bit.

"Kaname, please don't look at me," Zero uttered as he tried to keep reign of the hunger consuming him. He knew that his whole frame was shaking badly with the need for sustenance. It was hard to keep his control now that he lost so much of his blood.

"Zero, what's wrong?" Kaname asked skeptically as he heard his partner's unexpected request.

Zero knew that he didn't have any choice left at all. No matter how hard he tried, the truth was bound to be revealed in this moment. He wondered if Kaname would think of him any differently now. _I'm sorry, Kaname._ He thought as he lifted his eyes to stare at the pureblood's garnet-colored ones.

Instead of the usual silver amethyst orbs, Kaname's eyes widened in surprise as he saw the difference in those orbs. A bright crimson gaze of a vampire looked up at him. The same color as the blood they had shed.

Only one thought crossed his mind.

_Zero Kiryuu was a vampire…_

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**Extras:**

Cultes des Goules (Cults of Ghouls) – was created by Robert Bloch (August Derleth claimed to have invented the fictional text, but this was denied by both Lovecraft and Bloch himself). It is a book of black magic written by Francois-Honore Balfour (Comte d'Erlette) in 1702. It was published in France and later denounced by the church. Only a handful of copies are in existence. One of the known copies was kept for 91 years in an arcane library of the Church of Starry Wisdom in Providence, Rhode Island. After Robert Blake's mysterious death in 1935, Doctor Dexter removed the grimoire and added it to his library.


	4. blood and vampire

_Thank you for all those who've reviewed the last chapter and those who've added this one to their favorites and alerts lists. =) You guys have really inspired me to write another chapter to this story. I took a while updating with all of the things I had to do at the university but at least, I've finally been able to put up a new chapter sooner than I expected. I hope you like this new update._

_Please Read and Review… =) _

_By the way, an advance Merry Christmas to all readers out there!_

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**Chapter 4 – Blood and Vampire**

_Zero Kiryuu is a vampire…_

That thought ran through Kaname Kuran's mind as he noticed that Zero's eyes were neither in the unique amethyst shade that he was used to nor the fascinating silver ones when Zero was being serious and indifferent. They were a deep shade of crimson that shone so brightly in the semi-darkness of the room. Ones that closely resembled his own when he was using his vampiric abilities. He wouldn't dare lie to himself that he was surprised with the discovery, Zero was human in his senses and it never crossed his mind that his partner was a vampire. Despite everything else, it didn't make Zero any different to him. Human or not, Zero was now his trusted partner. Zero would always be the same person who saved him when he was in trouble and who offered his hand of friendship back at the library without any ulterior motives.

Zero was a special person for him and that wouldn't change no matter what.

He decided that this time, he would make an effort to get to know his mysterious partner. He would not let things hang in the balance and let destiny run its course. The pureblood could not afford to lose Zero this soon. Not when he finally met someone different. Someone who sparked his interest without even lifting a finger. He knew he was being selfish like this. But it was a common behavior for everyone once in a while. The same applied to the others of his kind.

In fact, this behavior was a first for him.

_This selfishness._

He had always thought about others every single time when he was working at the Vampire Council. Back in those days, other people mattered and his opinion was always lost amidst other council members. He could never be himself and he _hated_ that so much. Didn't _he_ deserve to live his own life? Was being selfish for once been a bad thing? He didn't know what his partner would think of this for now but maybe in time, he could tell Zero everything and his partner would share his own opinions. He had always noticed that Zero was an insightful and intelligent individual. And honesty seemed one of Zero's strong points.

He noticed after a while that his thoughts were all centered on Zero for the last few days and he came to the conclusion that he was indeed attracted to his partner. He couldn't quite call it love yet but it was close to that notion.

Right now, he was torn between anger at the woman who dared to injure Zero and sadness at seeing the said person suffering from his wounds. Looking closely, he saw that it had not stopped bleeding yet and the blood was still flowing out of the wound. The pureblood knew how bad that was and he garnered that the weapon carried an anti-vampire poison.

_I should've been the target. It was me who was supposed to bear this pain._

_Not you, Zero. It wasn't supposed to be you._

Meanwhile, Zero Kiryuu couldn't feel anything anymore except for the burning thirst in his throat and the deep pain in his chest. He realized immediately that the blood tablets as well as his personal medicine wouldn't help him now. This mission was the absolute worst and it was a wrong decision on his part to even come here unprepared. Kaname could have gotten terribly injured or worse earlier on. He didn't regret helping the pureblood but the pain was just too much. His chest once again constricted and he brought one of his hands, the one which held the pureblood's, to his chest. He gripped the fabric of his jacket tightly as waves of pain threatened to consume him. The scent of his own blood in the air wasn't helping much and from his position, he could see that Kaname tried hard to control his own instincts as well. Somehow, Zero felt glad that Kaname was very different from all of the pureblood's he met so far. And this was one of the proofs he needed to confirm things.

He had never really been that accepting of vampires as a whole ever since that tragedy. He always thought that if he remained indifferent from the truth, things would be okay. That if he tried to lock his emotions and refused to get close to anyone again, it wouldn't hurt as much. But he knew that all of it was useless. Since he understood that no matter what he did, what he thought. His past would never change.

He was a vampire now.

The irony wasn't lost on him though. He became the creature that he was taught to hunt and kill when he was still a mere child. Cross always told him that he was lucky to be alive but Zero wondered at times if it would have been better if he had just died that day. Life after that tragedy was the absolute hell. Other vampire hunters expressed their regrets at his parents' deaths and also for him. Some didn't even bother trying to hide their opinions that he should've just died along with his family.

Those few days killed him little by little deep inside.

And now Kaname had seen his true nature.

That he was another monster. Just like the beings he had been hunting all his life.

"Kaname, please… there's not much time… you have to leave… while I'm still myself," Zero breathed out as he refused to meet Kaname's eyes for the second time. He knew that the pureblood was now aware of what he was. That he was an ex-human vampire. He didn't want to see the same look the others had in the pureblood's eyes. If he saw it in his partner's eyes, he knew that what was left of his heart would shatter once again.

"Zero…" Kaname said softly as he moved to wrap his arms around the trembling figure and hold him close. He had already come to terms long ago not to let the vampire hierarchy cloud his judgment. He may be a pureblood and Zero an ex-human. But that didn't matter to him in the slightest. Ever since he became a librarian, he had always been Kaname. Nothing more than that.

'_In order to regain the blood we've lost, we become a beast, overtaken by the impulse to drink blood.'_

Those were the words thought to him by his father when he was still a little kid. Bloodlust was the worst thing a vampire could experience and Kaname couldn't bear to know that Zero was suffering from that. Others of his kind may view his partner as something of an abomination. A monster that didn't deserve to live. A level D that was considered the lowest of his kind. But to him, Zero would always be more than that.

He knew that Zero was always suffering. The hunter hid it well with his indifference but Kaname could see the faint glimmer of sadness in those amethyst eyes. The pureblood was also sure that Zero wasn't turned willingly and he felt an ounce of hate towards the person who did that to his partner. Kaname held the hunter together, willing Zero to believe that even with this truth hanging before them, he wouldn't even think of abandoning their friendship no matter what.

Zero wasn't aware of anything at all except for the beast inside of him that was threatening to consume his sanity. The pain in his chest was terrible and he quickly found it hard to breathe. His surroundings seemed obscured by a crimson haze and the hunter closed his eyes tightly, willing himself to regain control over the thirst that was overwhelming him. He didn't even manage to feel the pair of arms wrapping themselves around him, trying to offer comfort. But he was aware of the gentle yet frantic beating of a powerful heart next to his. As well as the sweet and intoxicating scent of a pureblood vampire's blood.

He needed Kaname to leave him for now. He wouldn't be able to control himself if the pureblood was this close to him. No matter what happened he wouldn't give in to the temptation of drawing anyone else's blood. He knew the consequences of that action. He knew better than anyone else. Yet at this moment, his resolve was slowly crumbling apart. His thoughts were a complete mess and all that was left was the blood lust that needed to be satiated.

"Kaname…I…I can't hold back… anymore," Zero whispered in between his panting breaths. He shifted his head so that his forehead lay by Kaname's shoulders. _I can't do this, please… _he told himself but it seemed that even if his mind and heart refused, his body was moving in its own accord. _Not to him, not to Kaname… I'd rather die than show him the monster that I am…_

Kaname was perplexed by the sudden movement and he was momentarily at a loss for words. How could one simple mission end up being like this? He wanted himself to think that all of this was just one big nightmare. That everything would be okay when he woke up. But he knew that this was all reality and it was something that he cannot run away from. All of a sudden he felt a frantic breathing ghost over his neck and he registered in his eyes that it was Zero's fangs. The pureblood forced himself to take a good look: the gleaming teeth, the hungry, feral look that had crept into the hunter's eyes, the way the muscles in his face contorted as he tried to overcome his bloodlust. Kaname knew that Zero would not like to be seen this way, but Kaname needed this.

He wanted to remember this so that he could protect himself – and most especially Zero Kiryuu.

He knew what other vampires would think of Zero and he hated that knowledge.

_My blood…_

Kaname trusted that the hunter wouldn't take advantage of him. If giving his blood would ease Zero's pain, then he would do just that.

"I… don't want to hurt you…" Zero said in a soft tone of voice that Kaname had never heard before as he inched closer to the pureblood's neck. "Please, stop me."

"It's all right, Zero. You can have my blood so don't suffer like this anymore," Kaname said gently as he gazed at Zero's trembling form. _I didn't realize that I could care about someone so madly and helplessly like this. You're the only one I would permit to take my blood, Zero, _the pureblood thought to himself. "None of this was your fault. So don't blame yourself," he added in the same tone of voice.

Zero heard Kaname say those words to him and he became aware of what he was supposedly doing. He stopped himself just in time and pushed himself away from the pureblood. Not to his partner. He could never do this to Kaname. He mustered all of his strength to control his growing bloodlust and he leaned on the wall, his gaze on the floor. He didn't want this at all. For another person to see what a monster he truly is. That in the end, he was just the same as the fallen vampires he was hunting. A part of him was glad that Kaname could still find it in his heart to care about someone like him and to offer his blood so willingly. But he couldn't accept that. Not if the result would be terrible. Kaname's position could be jeopardized by sharing his blood with a low-level vampire like him. And Zero didn't want such a thing to happen.

Kaname watched as Zero pulled away and thought that he wouldn't let the hunter refuse this one.

With that, the pureblood dragged the right sleeve of his coat up with his left hand. Using his elongated fangs, he slashed a deep cut lengthwise down his wrist. Blood gushed to the surface. His fangs returned to normal and he could smell his own blood in the air. Its scent sharp and coppery. He didn't think about anything else except for Zero.

The consequences didn't matter if this act could take away a fraction of the hunter's pain and burden.

The blood was running down his hand now, his wrist stinging. He held it out in front of Zero's face, letting the blood drip down his fingers, spill onto the floor. Kaname moved closer, his breath making white puffs in the cold air. He noticed Zero stiffen because of that. "Come on, Zero," he whispered. "Drink my blood."

"Why are you doing this, Kaname? Why are you offering your blood so willingly?"

Kaname chose to remain silent, knowing that his answer was something personal. He changed the subject instead, "Bite me, Zero. Just try not to take too much for now," he said simply.

Zero's breathing became even more erratic. "What are you saying to me, Kaname? This isn't right at all. Just go away, please."

_Just as Yuuki said. You're pretty stubborn when it comes to things._

Kaname cut a wound in his neck and he knew that the hunter wouldn't be able to resist much this time. After a few seconds, he heard Zero's breathing, loud and irregular, the warmth of the hunter's breath against his own. He could feel the tension in Zero's body and knew that the hunter was still trying to resist. Then he felt the wet heat of the hunter's tongue slide along to the line of his neck, and something quite unusual happened to him – something far more unusual than anything else that whole day.

The act was somehow _turning him on._

God, how completely embarrassing. Kaname realized soon after. He didn't know what it felt to get bitten but at this moment, all he wanted was for Zero to sink his fangs into him.

Yes, just Zero's fangs.

He guided Zero to the hollow base of his neck and tried to force the hunter to take his blood. He waited for a while until he felt the hunter's fangs pierce his neck. He started, gasping at the sudden pain but remembering that he'd offered this. This was his idea. Still, this was the first time he had ever been bitten and he was unfamiliar with the feeling.

The pureblood twisted his hands into the hunter's hair and held the hunter's mouth to his neck in case Zero tried to pull away again before he got enough blood to help him.

A small sound escaped the hunter. A satisfied, aching groan as he continued to drink.

Zero wasn't hurting him – not really – the pain that had started out sharp faded to a sort of dull throbbing. A drowsy sense of peace stole through Kaname's veins and he felt his muscles relax; his hands that had been trying to coax Zero to drink a moment ago now pressed the hunter closer to him. Kaname could feel his own heart, feel it slowing, its hammering fading to a softer echo.

Pain lanced through his neck suddenly. He gasped and his eyes flew open. Zero stopped at just after a few minutes and then ran his tongue over the wound he'd made on Kaname's neck. The feel of his mouth was making the pureblood writhe against him.

He finally moved away and Kaname did the same. The wound on his own neck was fading fast until there was no sign of where Zero's fangs pierced him.

_This is our secret now. Something that only the two of us know at this moment,_ Kaname thought to himself.

"Thank you… for everything," Zero said softly as he stared at Kaname's warm garnet eyes and he could feel the sincerity of the pureblood's actions. He could not fathom how Kaname was able to evoke such emotions from him. He directed his gaze at the pureblood once more, letting his honest feelings show through his crimson-colored eyes. That he was thankful and that was sorry.

Kaname couldn't help but be mesmerized by Zero's eyes once again. It was true that it was a far cry from those amethyst hued ones he was quite used to seeing but just the same, they were beautiful. The hunter's glowing crimson red eyes was gazing at him and he couldn't help but he captured in them. He never realized that another vampire's eyes could be this enchanting. He could see and feel the sadness in those depths and he wondered why Zero was feeling guilt when it was clear who forced the hunter to drink. Wasn't he supposed to be the one who should feel that guilt after what happened to them? After he was careless and jeopardized the mission.

"Take a rest, Zero. We still have time before we face the enemy," Kaname told Zero as he brought one of his hands upwards to caress the hunter's face before it settled to grasp the hunter's warm hand. He moved closer and settled himself against the wall, right beside the hunter. He used his other hand to coax the hunter to lean his head on the pureblood's shoulder. He still continued to hold the hunter's hand, knowing that Zero needed someone at this moment. Someone to reassure him that everything was all right. And Kaname was willing to do just that for the hunter.

He also wanted to reassure Zero that he would always be there and that he wouldn't leave now or in the future.

Zero complied with Kaname's request, knowing that he was too out of it to even offer an argument on the matter. The pureblood guided him and Zero felt himself relax as his head rested on Kaname's shoulder. With the blood he had taken, he was still quite sensitive to his partner's emotions. Right now, what he felt was the sincerity and honesty of Kaname's words and actions. Zero couldn't understand why Kaname was doing this. What pushed the pureblood to help him this way? He was a former vampire hunter and now an ex-human at that. Somehow, he felt that he deserved none of that kindness.

He knew that he was being very vulnerable but with Kaname, he didn't mind that he was like that at all. With all those years of pain and suffering, even with Cross and Yuuki's help, he still felt that loneliness. He couldn't blame them for that since the two were only humans and they did not have to see things in a vampire's point of view. For him, he had to see things in two different points of view. He was neither fully human nor vampire. He existed somewhere between those things and he knew that no matter which side he chose or believed in more, he would still lose a part of himself. He hoped back then that someday he would be able to see a world where co-existence was possible. It was a fleeting dream that everyone hoped for.

Those thoughts sent him spiraling into the memories of the past and he was glad that Kaname was there beside him. He craved the pureblood's offered warmth, something he never thought he would ever want again since that time. He kept his distance, knowing that doing so would lessen his suffering. But everyone was persistent, trying to break through his defenses little by little. Crumbling the walls he had built around himself. At times, it frustrated him and annoyed him. But at other times, he felt grateful that there are still those who cared enough about him.

Now, there was Kaname Kuran. In a matter of days, his partner had worked his way into Zero's own life. The pureblood broke through his defenses as though it was nothing more than fragile glass. Zero knew that it was too dangerous for Kaname to be with him. And he knew that someday, he would only hurt the pureblood. His life was too complicated and he didn't want to drag Kaname down with him. Zero wasn't even sure that he would have the chance to survive this time. He had cheated death for the past four years and he was aware that someday, he would fail to do so again.

He closed his eyes and heard the steady sounds of Kaname's heartbeat. _You are too kind, Kaname._

Kaname heard the hunter's gentle and even breathing as he rested next to him. He blushed lightly as he became aware of their positions and thanked the heavens that Zero was already asleep. He gently ran his hands through Zero's soft silver strands, thinking about how things ended up this way. His partner didn't deserve to get hurt this way and Kaname was aware that it was his fault. He shouldn't have gotten caught in that trap. He promised to himself once again that the same would not happen. Next time, he would be the one helping the hunter.

The hand he held was warm to the touch and he knew that it was because of the slight fever his partner had. He fished out a handkerchief in his coat pocket and gently dabbed it at Zero's face. If he could take away all of the hunter's pain, for that he would give away anything. Despite all that happened, he felt at ease with Zero's presence. He knew that there was still that enemy waiting for them, but in this room, _only the two of them existed._ He turned red at that random and fleeting thought. He coughed mentally and steered away from that, focusing instead on some important matters like how they would retrieve the book and how they could defeat that woman. This time he would show her the consequences of fighting an angry pureblood.

'_I told you that one day you'll be mine forever, Zero…'_

_Shizuka Hiou's voice whispered those words dangerously over the wide garden Zero was standing in. He shifted his eyes all around the place, trying to find where she was. He moved forward to a flight of concrete stairs onto a walkway bordered by oak trees, then through a charming oval courtyard punctuated with a spiral staircase of white wrought iron, leading to an upper apartment by two white columns. On the cobblestone ground floor, elegant alabaster urns brimmed with light violet lilies and deep scarlet red roses. Everything felt eerie to him and the voice laughed gently in the background. As if taunting and confusing him at the same time._

'_I'll never ever forget you, my dear hunter. No matter where you hide from me, I would definitely find you…'_

_Her voice told him softly and Zero looked up to see a beautiful vampire swept into his view. Her sharp features were accentuated by shiny almost white hair pulled tight into a bun and massive chandelier earrings brushing her jaw line. Her eyes were crimson, her fangs extended. She had forgone the customary kimono she always wore. Right now, she wore a plunging white sweater over black leather trousers and black boots with four-inch heels. On her right finger she wore a simple gold band decorated with a single amethyst. Zero tried to move away but it seemed that his body was frozen in spot. It reminded him so much of that day four years ago. He could feel the same thread of fear and anger building deep inside of him._

'_What's wrong? Are you becoming scared of me? No… I see. It's been so long since someone stared at me like that. Those eyes that burn in anger for me alone.'_

_Shizuka moved closer to him and her arms had been like steel as they wrapped around him, pulling him close and holding him tight. He wondered what was happening to him. Why couldn't he fight back? For just a moment her lips had been whisper soft on his skin. It had tickled right before she bit him. Then there had been the same feeling as before of being torn apart – not just skin, but mind and soul as well. He had felt the blood pumping from him into Shizuka; he tried to remain neutral despite deep inside he begged for death. It ended for a short while, even thought it had felt like a lifetime to him. He then felt his breath knocked out of him as he crashed to the ground. The pureblood whispered in his ear as she bent over him. Her body pinning him to the ground and her fingers stroking the flesh of his neck. His hands moved to pry her fingers off his neck but she slapped them away and them with her own. He could only gaze at her crimson eyes. Looking down at him with mirth and amusement. _

'_It's normal to be frightened of me, Zero. I'll gently teach you everything. Happiness, loneliness, and despair… I would do those things for you.'_

_She told him those words affectionately as she twined her own fingers in his and bowed her head closer to his so that their foreheads were touching each other. Her face was so close that he could feel her breath and hear the beating of her heart. He suddenly felt unimaginable fear for what she planned for him. It was something he never thought he would feel again after all those years._

'_The time is coming soon, my dear hunter. Enjoy the time you have left because I won't let you choose death…' _

_Z_ero woke up with a start and he felt bothered by that recent dream he had. Seeing that woman's face sparked the hidden fear deep inside his soul and he hated himself for being weak like that. How could he hope to face her if he was this frightened? How could he avenge his parents' death like this? As the alarm faded and he settled back into reality, he looked around the room and wondered what happened. He was a bit confused about everything else. He suddenly felt a presence beside him and he saw that Kaname was looking at him with worry etched into those garnet colored eyes. Seeing his partner, everything that took place before came back in a rush. The mission, the battle, the grimoire holder… he straightened up from his position as Kaname let go of his hands to tend to him.

He felt a bit bothered by the recent dream but he chose to ignore it for now as he watched the pureblood. There were still some important matters to be dealt with and this was no time to be sidetracked. There was still that lingering head ache but other than that he seemed to be better than he anticipated. It seemed that Kaname's blood helped to keep his frequent attacks at bay. Thinking about Kaname, he knew that his partner must've been standing guard all this time.

"How long had I been out of it?" Zero inquired while running a hand through his temples, knowing that the headache would take some while to disappear.

"It was only for about an hour and a half. Are you feeling quite well now, Zero?" Kaname asked politely as he looked at the hunter. He had been checking out his partner's condition for the past hour and he noticed a few minutes ago that Zero wasn't as warm as he had been before. It only meant for the pureblood that Zero's fever was finally going down. But he didn't want to take chances and he was sure that the hunter would need more rest.

He had to finish this mission as quickly as possible.

"Other than the slight headache, I think everything's fine," Zero said as he leaned his head back on the wall and closed his eyes. "Somehow, this mission wasn't really going well as we had expected. I never heard of a rogue hunter becoming like this before," he said under his breath. He opened his eyes and looked away as he thanked the pureblood for taking care of him while he was unconscious. He couldn't stop himself for feeling a bit awkward about the situation. It was understandable. Considering the fact that they had been thrust into rather uncompromising events.

Kaname smiled at the hunter's adorable and endearing gesture. He berated himself for thinking of the hunter that way again. When would his traitorous thoughts stop? He needed to focus on the mission now that Zero was better than before. His blood certainly helped and he decided that he could offer again if the hunter needed it. Besides, Zero wouldn't take advantage of him like that. The hunter was nice, a bit serious, and definitely adorable. No, of course he didn't think the hunter was cute even though that was pretty much a lie at this point in time… he stopped suddenly. _Stupid thoughts,_ he said mentally grumbled.

Zero stood up from the floor and brushed some dust from his clothes. He held out his hand to Kaname and he took out without any hesitation. Zero pulled him up and their eyes met on that instant. They knew without saying that they would never forget this moment.

"You don't need to thank me," Kaname said politely as he gazed at the hunter and smiled softly.

_On the contrary, I should be the one thanking you._

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Zero steadily walked along the empty corridors with Kaname bringing up the rear. He had felt earlier on that the enemy they faced before was currently located in the first floor of the building. They both headed towards the large hole that Kaname had created and where they had leapt up from to escape the grimoire holder hours ago. The pureblood had told him that they should finish this mission as soon as possible and taking this way would lessen the time they could consume by going the long way around the building. Zero stared at the hole and shared a glance with Kaname who offered him a small smile in return. The pureblood jumped down and he sighed deeply before following suit. Both of them landed gracefully like some kind of feline and kept their senses on high alert.

After all, they were treading on dangerous grounds.

From the distance, they heard the sound of light footsteps heading their way and saw the faint outline of a woman. The two stared at her as she stopped a few feet away and she smiled at them gently amidst her bloodstained white dress. Her eyes still registered the same madness as before and it had bottomed out into a deeper black such that no whites had remained.

"Talking to you is pointless and killing you is the only solution," Kaname said calmly as he regarded the woman with contempt. He had never quite forgiven her for injuring Zero so badly that the hunter had needed to take his blood in order to heal. "I can assure you that your little tricks won't work this time," he added as his eyes turned bright crimson and he pulled Rule Breaker from his belt.

The woman laughed manically. "You're _vampires_ yet you don't understand me at all," she said as she gazed at the two librarians before her. "Don't you know that what I'm doing gives me the greatest feeling ever? I don't even understand why I prevented myself from having this feeling before," the woman added as her nails began to lengthen abnormally. _Was she turning into some kind of vampire?_ The two thought simultaneously. "After everything I did, I can never go back to the way things were," she said sadly as she played with the hem of her dress. "As if I ever wanted to!" The woman then licked the dried blood on her fingers and she savored the feeling of violence and death that came with it.

"You're a pathetic being. A misguided fool like you can only meet a terrible end," Kaname said coldly as he watched the woman's sick actions. He saw Zero narrow his eyes at the scene before him and he could sympathize with the hunter. Despite having never met this woman before, she was still a former vampire hunter and human. At some point, she and Zero could be considered comrades. What kind of darkness had driven this woman to commit a terrible crime? To use the power of forbidden books so carelessly?

The woman snarled at the insult and her form began to shift into something monstrous. It was as though her skin melted to take another one. Her body then changed in a matter of seconds. Instead of a human in front of them, a bat-like creature was in its place. The being shrieked madly as it charged full speed at them. They leapt sideways in order to avoid it fierce assault.

Kaname rushed towards the enemy and brought up his dagger. He swung it in an arc and nailed the monster in its right wing as it turned its attention on him. The feeling of a charm coming to life as it made contact with the enemy's flesh could distinctly be felt by the pureblood. He jumped away moments later as its left wing tried to fling him to the nearest wall. Without wasting any second, he landed easily on his feet and threw the dagger at the enemy. A high-pitched shriek ensued and the grimoire holder trashed all over the place.

He then struck back with his own abilities and he saw the enemy flung backwards with the force of his kinetic burst. It only lasted for a few seconds before the monster gave an ear-splitting howl as it rushed forward in his direction. He saw it coming and reached out for his dagger mentally, sending it back to his hands and blocking a fatal blow coming to his side. He was pushed back a couple of steps by the sheer strength of the attack. But other than that, he held his place firmly. He watched as the enemy attempted to attack him on his unguarded side and wondered if he should evade now or attempt to block it with his bare hands. His thoughts were cut short when a sword sliced through it easily, sending the limb flying.

He smiled, knowing that Zero had his back.

Zero stood right beside Kaname as he raised the blood-stained sword in front of the enemy. He noticed that his movement was slower than usual. He wasn't used to it that much but it was okay for now. At least, he could still keep up with the battle. He ignored the ache building in his head and concentrated on the fight. He and Kaname jumped to the side as the monster attempted to deliver a punch in their direction. The ground shattered upon contact, sending dust and debris all over the place.

The monster saw that her attacks were ineffective against the two librarians and she realized that the grimoire _Cultes des Goules _would be ineffective against them. She was quite sure that the silver-haired librarian knew some spells to counter her dark magic and charms. She also couldn't grow back her missing limb and it only meant that the sword was imbued by charms and runes. Her remaining limb elongated into a sword like form, knowing that her best defense was offense. She wasn't going to die in this place. She wouldn't let those librarians ruin things for her.

"You're already a beast with the taste of blood on its tongue. Unlike vampires, you're enjoying murder," Zero said indifferently as he directed his now crimson gaze at the monster that was seething with anger at that statement. Kaname was a bit unnerved by the steely tone and coldness of the hunter's voice. It was the first time he had ever heard Zero speak like that. "In the end, you're just enjoying it. You can't even help the feeling of euphoria you get from having killed innocent people. You love wounding others. That is why we cannot let you go," Zero added as he lowered the silver katana to his right side and shifted one foot forward. He could remember those days when his father or Yagari-sensei took him out to practice sword fighting. He could see it in his mind's eyes and his body followed those images. He narrowed his crimson eyes in concentration and this time he didn't fight back the vampire side of him.

The woman charged at Zero without delay but the hunter blocked it with his weapon.

Zero distinctly felt the monster's aura darken suddenly and the movements became fiercer than before. He winced as he blocked another blow but the force of it sent him reeling back a few steps. It seemed that anger was making the enemy stronger than it was before. The monster once again attacked and Zero found an opening in the enemy's side. He ducked the blow and slashed the sword in the monster's thigh. An ensuing growl was all Zero heard before it swung the blade shaped limb at him. He blocked it but he was pushed back a couple of feet away. _That was too close,_ he thought as he barely avoided the previous assault.

Kaname followed his assault by throwing a dagger at the monster with deathly accuracy before it recovered from the wounds inflicted by the sword. The dagger embedded itself deeply in the monster's ribs.

The woman pulled out the blade from her body. It was the same dagger that injured her before and she could feel the charm's weakening her power. She wanted to rip out the throats of these meddlesome librarians. She forced herself to move but she was rooted on the spot. _What is happening?_ She thought angrily as her body refused to obey. She turned her head a little and she felt her eyes widen in fear. The brown-haired librarian she fought was gazing at her with impassive features but his eyes were glowing in a bright shade of red. The aura was suffocating and she knew now why lower leveled vampires feared purebloods. But why was the other vampire unaffected? Who are these people? They were far stronger than anyone she met. _This is the end,_ she thought suddenly. There was no way she was going to win this. But her hunter pride wouldn't let her go down without a fight. She was going to battle it out until the end.

She murmured a spell from the grimoire and a resulting explosion occurred. The paralyzing hold on her body disappeared and she felt relief flood her being. There was dust all over the place and she thought that it was an advantage on her part. She saw the pureblood kneeling on the ground with one of his hands on the floor. His eyes were closed in concentration and it was a perfect opportunity for her.

She rushed towards Kaname with the intent of killing him.

A noise sounded nearby and the monster turned back to see a flash of silver.

"This is the end. This is the price for killing innocents and using grimoires for evil deeds," Zero said coldly as he swung the katana horizontally with both of his hands, decapitating the grimoire holder. The body fell to the ground in a heap; blood once again stained the ground red. Its torn head rolled over the floor and its eyes registered surprise. The hunter flicked the blade to the side to rid itself of the crimson liquid. He sheathed it afterwards and gazed at Kaname's calm features.

With Kaname's help, he was able to find the enemy easily even with all of the impediments surrounding them. The pureblood used his vampire abilities to locate the enemy while offering himself as the bait. Through the link they had after sharing blood a few hours ago, the pureblood was able to signal him about what would happen. Zero moved with vampire speed to reach the monster's location and drew his katana in a split second before the enemy recognized his hidden presence. Killing it instantly as the dust finally settled.

Kaname saw Zero sheathing the blade he used at the battle and he knew that they were successful with their plan. He turned to look at the ground and he remained neutral as he saw the grimoire holder's body. A lot had happened but at least now it was finally over. They had completed the mission. He saw the hunter pick up the Rule Breaker and approached him. Zero handed him his weapon as he stood up from his kneeling position.

"The mission's over, am I right?"Kaname asked after a while.

"Yeah, it is," Zero said as they watched the corpse became covered by small bright lights. The lights floated upwards and they saw it fading slowly. A few minutes later, the body was gone and on its place was a leather-bound book. The cover was already ragged and torn, held together by a number of straps. "Let's head out of this place," he added as he picked up the grimoire.

They were silent for a while, knowing that things weren't over yet. There were still a lot of things they needed to talk about but couldn't voice it out. Zero wondered about the pureblood and thought that something seemed to have changed between them. The link was the proof of that and though it had gotten weaker, it was still there. He then thought about his parents, whose deaths still haunted him. He knew that a pureblood killed them but there were still lots of missing pieces left.

_He needed to find out the truth as well before his time runs out._

He decided to break the silence between him and Kaname. "Someone once told me that what is at the end of darkness would most likely be a cruel truth to anyone. He told me that if anyone wanted to know, that person will have to face the end of hell," Zero uttered as he gazed at the sky outside. "Despite that, I wanted to know the truth about my parents' death and all of the things going on around us," he added as he began walking towards the exit of the building.

"There's nothing wrong with that desire, Zero. Every one of us deserves to know the truth even if knowing would be painful," Kaname replied as he gazed at the hunter. "It would be better though to have someone there with you to help," he added thoughtfully.

Zero stopped in his tracks and pinned Kaname with his silvery gaze. "So you're saying that you're even prepared to accompany me to the depths of hell?" the hunter asked seriously, wondering what the pureblood's answer would be.

The pureblood was surprised with the question. "Of course, I would. Didn't I tell you before, Zero?" Kaname said softly as he moved towards the hunter. "I'm your partner now and I'm willing to go to lengths to help as you would do for me should it be the other way around," he added for his partner's benefit. Besides, he couldn't just tell the hunter outright that he was attracted to him and it was one of the main reasons he was willing to help Zero. He didn't want to freak out Zero or have the latter push him away. He decided to take things one step at a time.

After all, he thought that they had all the time in the world.

Zero chose to remain silent at the pureblood's answer and wondered if it was Kaname smooth-talking things again. Then again, it was typical of the pureblood. He knew about some of Kaname's characteristics since Yuuki had told things him things about the pureblood when he was resting a few days ago. Though, he wondered how much of those were real. Kaname seemed to be the type of person who hid his true self behind that composed mask.

Even with that little irritation for Kaname saying stupid things out of the blue, Zero couldn't help the small smile that graced his features as he walked away. That gesture didn't escape the pureblood's keen eyes.

Deep inside, Kaname felt glad that he saw his partner smile and he felt his heart skip a bit at that simple gesture. Somehow, he felt that smiling suited Zero better than anything else. He certainly didn't want to see that pained and hurt expression on the hunter's face. He would never forgive the person who put it there. He promised to himself that he would do whatever it took to bring back the happiness and feelings that Zero had lost on that tragedy. He would break the chains that held the hunter back.

Even if those chains were hatred, pain, and fate itself.

Things were not over yet. On the contrary, it had only begun. Kaname was now a full-fledged librarian and he knew that his so-called _adventures_ had just started. As he walked under the sky, he felt that this wouldn't be the only new thing he would experience. Many were still bound to happen now that he decided to take a step forward into the unknown. Be it pain, sadness, joy – he would be able to go over it as long as he had Zero.

'_If ever there came a time that I cannot follow you into hell, Zero…'_

'_I only need to drag you back out of it…'_

'_No matter what the cost…'_

'_That is my promise…'_


	5. magicians and librarians

_Huge thanks for all those readers out there who've kindly reviewed my story. You guys really inspired me time and time again to continue on with my first ever fanfic. Though I've been kind of busy lately with all of the school work piling up, I've managed to write out another long chapter. =) Anyway, I hope you guys would like this as well._

_By the way, I've rewritten chapters 1 to 4 since I felt that it had some holes in them. Not much had changed except for a few added details. Anyway, here's the new chapter._

_And Please Read and Review! =)_

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**Chapter 5 – Magicians and Librarians**

Yuuki Cross lounged behind the seat located in the front desk of the Dark Woods Library's main building. So far, only a few visitors had come today and she was rightfully bored out of her mind. Her best friend, Sayori Wakaba, had to visit her family back in the city so Yuuki was forced to be on duty by herself. It was a change from her daily library routine since Zero Kiryuu wasn't there either. Usually, the silver haired young man would accompany her when she was alone. He never talked that much when on duty and preferred reading a book quietly beside her but it was reassuring to have him there nonetheless.

Ever since he came to her life four years ago, Yuuki could never remember a day when she was without him. He had become a prominent part of her life and she was sure that she could never bear losing Zero in the future. She became a librarian for that same reason as well and she always hoped that someday she could protect him from the darkness hanging over him. It was a difficult goal considering that she was pretty weak compared to all the librarians she met so far but she was determined. Determined to become stronger for him someday. Determined to protect him from Shizuka Hiou at all costs.

She had expressed that wish to him so many times when they spent precious time together and he always answered in a vague way.

"_You are already strong enough as you are now. There is no need to change anything," Zero told her in a calm and indifferent tone. "Your feelings and your heart is what makes you stronger, Yuuki. Stronger than everyone else even myself," he added as he brushed a hand in her short brown locks. _

Her heart? Her feelings? She had always wondered what Zero had meant by those words. It wasn't as if those things were useful in a battle. On the other hand, it was what made things worse for her. Sara had told her once that unnecessary feelings in missions would get her killed someday and she thought that maybe the blonde woman was right in saying that. How many times had she put herself and her partner in danger because of her kindness? The answer came instantly.

_Too many to count._

If it wasn't for others especially Zero, she would've been long dead by now. It pained her to know that she was _weak_. That she couldn't even stand on her own two feet and that she couldn't help anyone at all. What purpose could she serve as a librarian if she couldn't even help let alone save the one person that mattered the most to her now? She knew how limited the time was. Zero didn't have much of it left and she was aware that he knew that as well. Most of them tried to pretend that everything was all right when frankly it wasn't at all. There was no way things would be all right when it seemed that their lives were always hanging in the balance and one small mistake could cost them.

Whenever someone went out on a mission, she always felt worry in the pit of her stomach. Only her optimism and cheerfulness helped her from breaking down completely. Because she knew how hard it was to wait.

To wait and see if they would ever come back again.

She glanced at the almost empty library and took a deep breath before slapping both of her hands in her cheeks. This wasn't the time to get depressed. She had work to do and she had plenty of time to think things through in the confines of her room. She reasoned within herself that there was simply no point in wallowing on despair and self pity right now. She had to remain cheerful and energetic for everyone. To make them smile and make them happy even for a second only.

With those thoughts out of her head, she focused on the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the library. She really loved this place and this was the only home she ever had. She laughed a little as she recalled how their supposed _family_ kept on growing over the past few years. It had gotten a bit rowdier ever since then but Yuuki welcomed that since it was something that made her feel more at home than ever.

A few minutes later, she spotted a familiar person leaving her father's office and she waved a bit to gather the individual's attention. The person waved back and Yuuki's face brightened instantly. She hadn't seen Lilianne Meitzen for the past few days after that tour with Kaname and she couldn't wait to have a little chat with the other librarian.

"Are you going out on a mission, Lilianne?" Yuuki asked curiously as she leaned forward on the front desk to address Lilianne. "I'm pretty sure that Kaito hadn't returned yet from his personal errands. Does that mean you're going out alone this time?" she added as the young woman walked over to her. They had known each other for quite a while and Lilianne had been like an older sister to her.

Seeing her friend closely, even Yuuki couldn't deny how pretty Lilianne Meitzen was. With that long black hair and bright electric blue eyes, she was surely popular among the opposite sex. It was also quite obvious how well proportioned she was and she couldn't miss how some men ogled Lilianne's chest area. She was also kind and gentle and rarely angered. All in all, she was what Yuuki looked up to as a model female librarian. She could only count how many men were immune to her looks. One was Zero who didn't seem to show much interest in Lilianne's body but she couldn't be sure since she spotted the silver-haired young man usually in the black haired woman's presence. It made her a bit jealous on that occasion. Not that she would ever admit that to anyone even in a million years. The other she knew was Kaito Takamiya, Lilianne's current partner. She thought that maybe Kaito was just pretty much used to Lilianne's presence unlike other people. Or Kaito swings the other way. Yuuki pondered about that but she couldn't be sure. Well, it wasn't something she _should_ poke her nose into.

But then, she was just too _curious._

She suddenly remembered the first Lilianne had walked into the library two years ago and asked to be trained as a librarian. Her father had tested the young woman and they discovered that she wasn't an ordinary human but a descendant of a line of spell casters. It was the first time Yuuki had ever met a real live witch. She had been quite ecstatic to meet the young woman since she had never been acquainted with spell casters all her life and the prospect was too good to pass. She wasn't afraid like some people since she was quite used to such individuals. She was good friends with a couple of vampires, hunters, and shifters. After a few moments of talking to each other while sharing a cup of tea, she and Lilianne hit off right away.

"I'm supposed to retrieve a grimoire called the Celaeno Fragments this time," Lilianne said gently as she smiled at the petite brunette.

"I see," Yuuki replied before she stopped with surprise evident in her features. "Wait a minute. Isn't that the same mission that Zero and Kaname took as well?" she asked skeptically. "Does it mean you're going on a mission with them?" she added as she sank back on her chair.

Lilianne laughed a bit. "It appears so. Though it's quite surprising for me to say this but I'm looking forward to working with Zero Kiryuu once again."

"Is it just me or do you really fancy Zero as the rumors say?"

"What rumors? What are you guys talking about behind my back?" Lilianne asked surprised with the piece of news. "Geez, no wonder things were quite awkward between us last time." She sighed deeply before continuing. "I don't really know what I feel for him since we haven't been talking much lately since I'm always doing field work. I do know that Zero's kind and very good-looking and I would be an idiot if I didn't notice that."

The two giggled a bit at that statement.

"Well, now is a perfect time to get reacquainted with him," Yuuki teased and laughed as Lilianne became a bit flustered at the insinuation.

"You make it sound as if I have ulterior motives aside from successfully retrieving the book," Lilianne replied as she composed herself and gazed at Yuuki gently. She just couldn't tell the petite brunette about what happened to Zero and his partner during the mission. Not when it seemed that her friend was already working herself with worry about everyone's safety. "You should know that I take pride in being a librarian," she added as an afterthought.

Yuuki laughed lightly once again. "I know that. I was just teasing you." She waved Lilianne good bye as the young woman walked towards the large front doors. "By the way, tell Zero and Kaname I said hi," she shouted and received a yes from Lilianne. With her friend gone, Yuuki returned back to her job and her thought once again strayed to Zero.

_I really hope that you guys would be all right. Especially you Zero, I know how you like pushing yourself over and over again…_

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Lilianne Meitzen was lost in her own private thoughts as she drove around in her sleek midnight blue car. It would be a long drive but she figured that meeting her fellow librarians would make up for it later on. She enjoyed talking to Yuuki and it cleared a bit of her apprehension after she heard the news from Cross. She was clearly more worried than she appeared to be and she was thankful that none of it showed through her features when she spoke to the petite brunette. Her thoughts then centered to the object of her intense worry: Zero Kiryuu.

It had been almost two years since she had met him and that day had been eventful for her. She had known at first glance that he was not human and she also knew that he was aware of what she was as well. Spell casters were considered as trash back in those days and she was always subjected to the same cruel treatment over and over again. Was it a sin to be born this way? She had always asked that question to herself but sadly, she never found an answer. The first person who ever showed her kindness was Zero Kiryuu and that act drove her to serve him faithfully. Though the young man never considered her as such, she was happy being in that position. It was her life's purpose and it was through him that she could feel alive in this cruel world. Their relationship could be something akin to master and servant, not many knew that simple fact. They maintained distance in the library and pretended to be distant friends. Zero had often told her that he disliked being referred to as master or something along those lines and she was quite happy to comply with his wish as long as he allowed her to stay by his side.

Ever since then, it had been her sworn duty to attend to him or his needs even if he didn't want to. Was it not the job of someone in her status? She had asked him that and he always replied that it wasn't the job of someone he considered as a friend. That he didn't save her from that hellhole so that she could serve another being especially a vampire like him. She knew from that answer that Zero was different from all those people she had served before and she realized that she would gladly give her life for him if the time ever came.

She was one of the few who knew about his condition and it pained her to see him suffering from time to time. She could only alleviate some of his pain through her family's own remedies and those medicines could only extend his life for long. She had noticed that it had gotten worse this year and the proof of it was what happened a few weeks ago. She wasn't the only one who noticed. Yagari had been quite desperate in his hunt. Kaito was becoming increasingly frustrated over small matters. Yuuki had that air of loneliness hovering above her from time to time.

She sighed deeply and pushed those thoughts away for now. She turned around the corner and the buildings gave way to greenery but she didn't have the time to appreciate the view.

A lot had happened in her past that she didn't want to remember again. The darkest days of her life were over and she never wanted to go back there again. The library was her home now and she would not trade it for anything else in the world. She wasn't alone anymore. Yuuki and everyone made sure of that. Zero gave her back her happiness and she found out that she had a purpose in life this time. She knew that it would take almost forever to repay him for everything but she didn't mind that at all. If she had to serve him for the rest of her life, she would do just that. Not out of her sense of duty as others might perceive. It was a different matter all together.

_She was a complete sap… Who would've have known? If Kaito or the others find out, I'll be a complete laughing stock…_

She sighed to herself as she gazed at the road. She had always tried to maintain her professional and gentle persona throughout her career as a librarian. Others may see it as her own arrogance but it did not bother her like how Zero does with things. She knew about the stoic young man's history and she realized how much that past affected him. Everything about him was a complete mystery but it wasn't in her nature to pry into his own private matters. Despite him being cold, indifferent, and anti-social at times, she was determined to stay loyal to his cause. She would loyally follow him to hell itself if he asked her to.

She had always noticed that the silver haired young man was an enigma, a man filled with various contradictions. She felt that she wasn't the only one who noticed that fact. But one thing was for sure, she admired the strength she saw in him that fateful day.

_She had run away from the mansion and she knew that she had nowhere else to go. An orphan like her had no place in this world and more so, someone who was not even human. Even vampires treated her as garbage. She laughed bitterly at herself as she realized that no one decided to follow her. A proof of how useless she truly was. Life had been unfair lately and she wondered if her existence even made a difference. It was raining heavily but she didn't care about such trivial matters anymore. She knew that she had nothing. No home, no family, and no hope left. Perhaps some rogue librarians or hunters would decide to finish her off. It would be better than living. Yet as those thoughts crossed her mind, tears fell from her eyes. She sat there crying on her knees by the empty street and the harsh rain soaked her through the bone. She shivered from the cold but she made no move to get up. _

_Suddenly the rain stopped falling on her and she looked up to see a black umbrella over her head. Her eyes dull eyes grew a bit brighter as she gazed at the person who held it. She admitted to herself that the stranger was very good-looking and he looked a bit older than her. A year older, she guessed. He had silver hair and his eyes were a mix of silver and amethyst. He looked at her with indifference but she could see a glimmer of warmth in those fascinating orbs. There was something quite off with his aura and she realized a few seconds later that this stranger was a vampire._

"_Why are you crying here?" the silver-haired young man asked her tonelessly. "Don't you have anywhere else to go to?" he added as he kept his eyes on her._

_She blushed a bit as she wiped her tears with the sleeves of her soaked jacket. "I'm an orphan so I don't have anywhere else to go anymore. I'd rather stay here than go back to my present home," she answered as she looked away from him. The hurt creeping through her heart again. "I would never go back to that hell again." _

_Silence met her statement and she vaguely wondered what the stranger thought of her now. Maybe he thought she was just a lowlife just like all the others and after a few seconds he'll leave but she was surprised when she heard him speak again._

"_Then if you don't mind, would you like me to introduce you to another job?" he asked impassively. "It would be different from all the other jobs you have and if you're willing to stain your hands with blood and share your guilt with me, I promise that you'll find a good life there," the stranger added as he kept his gaze on her and Lilianne found herself drawn towards him. He broke eye contact as he continued. "However, I'm not forcing you. You can decline the offer and make your own choice on the matter."_

_Lilianne couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was the first time anyone ever asked her to make her own choice. Usually people decided for her and she had no choice but to comply with their wishes. "Why do you have to ask me to make a choice? A vampire like you would be powerful enough to make me do anything that would please you," she answered sadly. _

"_I'm not like those vampires and I don't think I'll ever be," he answered after a while. "Even if I want to make use of your talents and no matter how skilled you may be, I'm not someone who would want a doll that only follows its orders. The place I work in wants a companion. A dependable friend as some of them would say. Someone who wants to work there out of their own free will," he added as he gazed off the distance, seemingly recalling some memories. "That is why I'm asking you to make your own choice."_

_She couldn't believe what was happening to her. Here was a random stranger who turned out to be a vampire and he was asking if she wanted to take the offered job. She didn't know what to think of that but the person in front of her was sincere. He may be indifferent about things but his eyes expressed little emotions like the fact that he was not lying to her. That his words were real and she could believe them._

"_W-What job would that be, then?"_

_He turned his gaze back towards her and stretched out his hand to her as an invitation. "Have you ever heard about librarians?" he asked in the same tone of voice as before and his eyes betrayed no hint of emotion for the girl in front of him._

_Yet she knew._

_That he somehow did take pity on her and offer her a chance to make things better in her life._

_Would she dare take this once in a lifetime chance?_

_Without thinking twice, she hesitantly reached out to grab his hand and suddenly she was pulled to her feet. The warmth she felt was something she never had before. It was comforting and she realized that maybe she made the right choice after all. She wouldn't regret this all her life and she promised to herself that she would become a librarian._

"_You might go through harsh training for a while but I can assure you that Dark Woods Library would be your home from now on," he said as he began walking away and she followed him._

_She smiled for the first time in a long while. "Thank you very much…" she trailed off not knowing the name of the young man who helped her._

"_It's Zero Kiryuu."_

"_I'm Lilianne… Lilianne Meitzen," she said gently as she walked beside Zero. Her heart filled with gratitude and other various emotions. "Nice to meet you and I hope that we get along from now on," she added as she looked up at him. He only nodded in response and once more, she smiled a real smile._

That encounter was the start of everything for her and as she looked back on those things, she knew that she wouldn't exchange these things for anything in the world. She couldn't help but smile a bit as she remembered the events she had faced for the last three years as a librarian. Some of them were pretty memorable and she was glad to have taken his hand back then.

_Someone told me that when a person has a place to go back to, that person becomes stronger. When I had nothing, I thought that I would be stronger since I wouldn't have anything to lose. Now I realized just how wrong I was._

She was broken out of her reverie as her cell phone rang all of a sudden. She took out a midnight blue phone from her pocket and answered it immediately. There was much static and noise in the background that at first she couldn't quite hear anything at the other end. It cleared a bit after a while and she heard Kaito on the other end.

"_Lilianne? Oh good, I was trying to contact you for a while now,"_ Kaito said with a hint of relief present in his voice.

"Is there something wrong, Kaito?"

"_I was just going to tell you that mission's from the library is cancelled for a while and Cross asked me to pass some message to the others. I presume you're headed to where Zero is?"_

"Yes. I am as a matter of fact."

"_Good. You see, something happened a few hours back."_

"What happened?"

"_Someone from the library was found dead this morning."_

Silence pervaded around the car as Lilianne's eyes widened in surprise. She stopped the car on the road side as she processed what Kaito had told her. It was impossible. How could such a thing happen so easily? She breathed deeply as she once again addressed the person on the other end of her phone.

"Please tell me what happened," she said seriously.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

_What is wrong with me?_

Zero Kiryuu did not how many times he had asked that question in his head over and over again for the past few days. The past few days had helped him get more acquainted with his new partner and apparently, there was more to the pureblood than what meets the eye. He got along with Kaname Kuran on a normal day to day basis though there are times when the pureblood had a way on getting on his nerves. Some days he was thankful for Kaname's company and the friendly conversations that came along with it. On other days, he wanted to _strangle_ the damned bastard just to wipe the smug smirk on his face.

One thing was for sure, he was quite new to these emotions. He had not expressed these types of feelings since four years ago when Shizuka Hiou had ruined his life.

_Emotions._

Since becoming a vampire and working as a librarian, he had presumably locked it all away deep inside of him. He never had much use to those things when all he did was keep on fighting and killing level ends. He had known since years ago that his life was all about this bloodshed. That there was no normal future for him and sometimes he wished that he was someone else. He would give away anything to return to a normal everyday life. How many lives had he ended for the sake of protecting this cruel world just as Cross said their mission was? How much more would he fight? He didn't really know the answers to those questions. It was then that he realized one thing.

He had no purpose at all.

He had been fighting all the time. For what? He did not know. To protect others? To survive? To save the world?

Was he truly this cold and empty?

He let a sigh escape from his lips as he walked at the cold streets that evening, knowing that Kaname might be worried about him again for leaving even though he was still slightly sick. His thoughts were bugging him and he figured that a walk would calm him down. Ever since meeting the pureblood, he could feel things he never felt before. He did not know whether it made him weaker or stronger. But he knew that he could not afford to have that luxury at all. Still, it was difficult to stop himself from ever caring about anyone. He could be cold and detached and emotionless as possible. But the fragile bonds he had made with everyone were something he could never break. It was the only thing keeping him from losing himself through all the madness surrounding them.

When he thought about, he only fought for the sake of fighting or under orders. He did not know why it bothered him now of all times but it seemed that everyone else was driven by something to do this kind of task. When his parents were still alive, he was sure that his future was set on becoming a vampire hunter along with them and protecting the humans from level ends. Sadly, that dream ended that bloody night.

Ever since then, he had lost sight of his dreams.

The emptiness he usually felt had been a constant companion and he was okay with how things were. But now that he thought about things deeply, the logical side of him wanted to understand why he was clinging so desperately to a life he never wanted. Living meant that he would continue to suffer. Living meant that he was not human anymore but a vampire. Living meant that he would only hurt others. Just what was it that forced him to continue living for the past four years?

"What am I fighting for?" Zero whispered to no one in particular as he kept on wandering aimlessly that night with no particular destination in mind. It seemed that the walk had done him no favor as he was left with more questions than answers. He clutched his head as a wave of pain came through it.

All this thinking was giving him a headache. Maybe Kaito was right in telling me that I think too much.

He resumed his walk under the moonlight and let himself enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of the quiet evening. It wasn't always that he had time to relax himself and there was no one to see him in that state after all. He could drop his defenses a bit and he wouldn't have to worry about a thing.

The minutes passed by before he decided to head back, knowing that Kaname would start looking for him if he didn't get back soon. At that same moment, he felt another strong presence nearby. Without thinking twice, he headed towards the direction where he felt it clearly.

Zero suddenly stopped in front of an alley where a single light from the lamp post illuminated his position. He gazed at the darkness impassively before sighing deeply. He shoved his hands deep in the pockets of his brown trench coat. "It's no use hiding from me, you know? I already know you're there," Zero said seriously as he leaned on the brick wall and waited for a response.

Steady sounds of footsteps echoed in the silence and he watched as a figure of a young woman emerged from there. She smiled up at him as a polite gesture and he merely nodded his head in response.

"What brings you here of all places, Lilianne?" Zero asked as Lilianne settled herself beside him on the brick wall, her hands clasped together at her front.

She laughed a bit. "As sharp as ever, Zero-sama. I really couldn't hide things from you no matter how hard I tried," she replied gently as she looked at him. She watched him shift his gaze at her for the way she addressed him. She knew that he hated being addressed like that. Yet she found no reason to call him otherwise since they were alone right now and she only promised to call him differently when in other people's company. Besides, her runes and spells made sure that none of the people passing by would be able pick up their conversation. Human or not, her spell would take care of any eavesdroppers.

"How many times have I told you to stop calling me with such ridiculous titles?" Zero told her as he kept his eyes on her before looking away. Seeing that Lilianne would not listen any time soon, he opted to change topics. "Did something happen back at the library?" he asked indifferently.

Lilianne hesitated at first and her eyes moved downwards to stare at the ground. She clasped her hands tightly as she mustered up the courage to break the news to Zero. "Kaito called me earlier on to inform me that Narumi's dead," she said grimly. Her eyes reflecting the sadness she felt at losing a comrade.

Shock flitted momentarily in Zero's amethyst eyes. "What do you mean he is dead? Wasn't he supposed to be on a break?" he inquired as soon as the surprise dissipated.

Lilianne knew that despite Zero's apathetic tone of voice and emotionless countenance, he was also saddened by the death of their co-worker. Not many would think that way of course and she always heard how others spoke of him behind his back. She realized that only a few had ever understood Zero.

"He was on a mission he requested personally and it was a mission to locate on of the twelve Arcana when it happened," Lilianne replied as she gazed at the sky. They both knew what it meant but they didn't think that it was finally starting. "They way he died led us to believe that the Order of Lost Souls was involved."

Zero was silent for a while as though pondering something. "The Order of Lost Souls… The name certainly brings back memories, does it not?" he asked.

"I know, Zero-sama," Lilianne uttered as she reminisced about that past and felt a certain sadness tugging in her heart. "Cross sent me here to warn you to be on your guard. It appears that they have been attacking librarians here and there in search of the Arcana," she added seriously. "He also has reason to believe that you are also a potential target for the enemy."

"I see. Is there anything else?"

"He wants you and Kaname to remain on standby for now and await the next set of orders."

Zero nodded in response and the two lapsed into another silence. One that Lilianne enjoyed as she knew that it would be quite some time before she met up with the silver haired young man once again. She was excited by her first orders which entailed working with the person who saved her but sadly, new set of orders were given to everyone.

"I'll be heading out again. I believe that there is an Arcana in the next city but we can't be too sure," Lilianne said gently. "Kaito will meet up with me somewhere over there."

"Be careful then," Zero told her as they started to go their separate ways.

"I will, Zero-sama. Take care of yourself," Lilianne said with a smile as she vanished from sight and Zero was left alone in the alley. He was left with his own thoughts and wondered about what he would tell the pureblood as soon as he got back.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Kaname Kuran had never expected to get into such a situation with Zero Kiryuu of all people. After the mission at the old building, things had started to go downhill from there in his own opinion. He should've have known better after all and he couldn't help but blame himself for what happened over and over again. He was a pureblood vampire yet he was helpless to prevent such a thing from taking place. He knew and he understood quite clearly. It was _his_ own goddamned fault that the hunter got hurt. He could only wonder how on earth his partner managed to fight the grimoire holder in that certain condition those few weeks ago. He didn't know it _was_ even possible.

It must have been painful was his first thought and it sent a pang of guilt straight through his heart.

They had pretended that everything was all right afterwards and things continued the way it was supposed to be. Like trying to gather clues about the missing book or hunting stray level ends located in the city. Though, he noticed that the hunter was suffering from headaches from time to time. He crossed the room and sat on the couch next to Zero who was currently taking the medicine the pureblood gave him a few minutes ago. Kaname had noticed as soon as the hunter got back that he was having another of those migraines. There was silence as Zero seemed to be having a pretty bad one and the pureblood noticed that once again, he felt that comfortable atmosphere with the hunter.

A few minutes ago, his partner had told him about what happened and though Kaname did not know the librarian who died personally, he felt a bit sad at the sudden passing of a comrade. Zero had told him a lot of things about the Order of the Lost Souls, the twelve Arcana, and the inner workings of the Dark Woods Library. He had listened to everything and accepted all of those striking information. It seemed that library matters were as complicated as the going-on around the Vampire Council.

After that, they lapsed into silence and it stretched on up until this moment. Feeling a bit tense at the silence, Kaname sighed and began to strike up a conversation.

"Are you feeling a bit well now, Zero? I would insist that you lay down in bed right now to ease your headaches," Kaname said softly as he turned on his seat to face the hunter who was currently leaning against the headrest of the couch and had an arm resting across his eyes. He hoped that the medicine had helped in some way.

"I'm fine, Kaname. There is no need to treat me like I'm an invalid," Zero's voice, inflectionless as it was, sounded exhausted. "The medicine helped dull the pain already and besides I've had much worse before," he added and he didn't mention the fact that Kaname's quiet presence had also helped him. He didn't really realize until now how alone he was before. Always going to missions by himself and such. It was a nice change from the usual routine.

"If you insist, Zero," Kaname said smoothly as he once again tried to find some topic to talk about. He couldn't think of anything at all and he was becoming increasingly frustrated by that. He could only think of one thing and it had to do with the pureblood who turned the hunter. He found that the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to _kill_ the one who made Zero suffer. Unless, the pureblood in question was already dead. Seeing that Zero was fine right now and actually free to do what he wanted and not a slave to someone else.

He mentally sighed as his thoughts seemed to spiral out of control. Lately, all he could think about was the hunter.

"Things have become a lot more complicated that normal. Sooner or later, you'll be dragged into this mess as well," Zero said. "It might be more troublesome than what both of us anticipated," he added as he pondered about the appearance of the Order of Lost Souls. Thing have been quiet for the past few years. From what Cross had told him, it was one of the most powerful organizations that existed. But it disappeared all of a sudden before the war had ended. Was there any reason for that dark organization to appear now of all times?

"It is fine with me, Zero. It doesn't bother me at all and I am confident that I would be able to handle anything," Kaname said as he gazed at Zero gently. "Besides, I promised you didn't I?" he said with a smile as Zero remained motionless in the couch. "I promised that I would follow you into hell no matter what," he concluded.

There really was no turning back and he had been aware of that fact ever since he stepped through the threshold of the Dark Woods Library.

_This is good enough for now. The most important thing is to be there when I am needed and I know that I could do this much for him,_ Kaname thought with a hint of affection.

"The way you keep saying those things means a lot to me yet also embarrasses me to no end," Zero said in a voice that Kaname had no longer found expressionless. For the pureblood, Zero's voice sounded _amused_ and _surprised_. "If I would be honest with you, just like this you never fail to surprise me," he added as he straightened up in his seat and looked at Kaname with his silvery amethyst eyes. He really could not stop the curiosity and some unknown emotion he felt for the pureblood especially when his partner kept on saying those words to him. Words that he never expected he would hear his whole life. He wondered what Kaname thought of him when he said those words. "Inside my faded and dull life, I feel that you're one of the few who can move my heart like this," he said before closing his eyes in contemplation.

Kaname's eyes registered some shock and he was rendered speechless by that unexpected statement. He didn't know what to think as he heard those words. _Oh damn,_ he thought as he turned his gaze to the floor and was secretly glad that Zero couldn't see him. _That made me extremely happy all of a sudden,_ he added as he felt his face turn a bit red and although he managed to gain control of his emotions. For a vampire's eyes, the blush was still visible.

"You know that I'm looking for the truth about what happened years ago, right? But somehow, I feel insecure. I thought to myself that if I do find out I might not be able to live like this," Zero said as he opened his eyes and Kaname turned away for a second before Zero could notice something amiss. "It might not look like it but I really enjoy this kind of life with everyone and sometimes I wonder if I would still be able to go on like this," he continued after a while and Kaname once again looked back at him with some unreadable expression.

Yagari had often told him that sharing your worries with someone you trust could lessen the burden considerably.

"You should not worry too much. No matter what kind of past you have, I and of course everyone as well, would be here for you," Kaname said honestly, pushing the other confusing thoughts aside.

_If I could, I'd like to give Zero back what he had lost and what he threw away years ago. It might be none of my business and an unwanted gift. But I can't help thinking about it, _he thought seriously.

_After all, I really do care about him,_ he concluded.

"You are always here with me for the past few weeks and I'm glad that we get along well, Zero. I always feel like myself when I'm with you and I realized that you know quite a lot about me," Kaname said calmly as he took a glance at the silver-haired young man. "We are partners but in reality, I don't know anything about you at all," he continued as he closed his eyes.

Zero felt his gaze softening with emotions he could not understand as he heard Kaname's earnest statement. He admitted that he was right in saying that the pureblood was someone who could move his heart the right way. He also knew that the pureblood had a point and that his partner really did know little about him. It was unfair since he pretty much knew a lot about Kaname through the head librarian and Yuuki's help. But then, all of those were only data and there were things about Kaname that he hardly knew as well.

It seemed so _wrong_ for them to be partners without even knowing anything about each other.

Sure, it was a given that they would place their trust in each other. But trust was not freely given. Even now, there was some semblance of doubt within him about this arrangement. A pureblood vampire and an ex-vampire hunter who also happened to be a vampire. He was certain that this pairing was the definite worst. But events that took place the last few days cleared a bit of his doubt away. At least, now he knew that Kaname was a decent person albeit a little irritating at times.

They had their own reasons for becoming librarians and Zero was okay with not knowing what Kaname's would be. The pureblood's secret was his own and as long as it didn't place the library in jeopardy, he hardly cared about it.

Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea for the pureblood to learn something about him. He knew that he could tell Kaname a little about his past, it hardly seemed a secret after all and most librarians knew about it, so that Kaname could be assured that he really did trust him as much as he trusted Yuuki and the others.

"Then, do you mind coming with me?" he said tonelessly as he stood up and crossed the room to look out the window to the streets outside. It was dark, despite the many streetlights. People moved like ants on the pavement below, avoiding the small pools of light. There was almost no telling which were human and which vampires. Everyone was busy going on with their own lives not knowing anything of the world going on around them.

"Where do you want me to go with you?" Kaname said gently as he turned to gaze at Zero with a confused expression when he pondered about the meaning of those words. What did his partner mean by that? He felt his breath catch in his throat as he saw how the moonlight illuminated the hunter's pale features. He couldn't deny how much he liked how the moon emphasized Zero's unusual coloring like his silver hair for instance and that pale, unblemished skin.

But the most attractive of all were his partner's eyes which seemed to glow far too brightly in the dim lights. It was different from the bright crimson a few night ago but just as beautiful as that.

"Back to that place. The place where everything else began for me," was all that Zero had told him.


	6. recollections and promises

_Thank you once again for all of the readers who've read and reviewed this fic. Everyone really helped inspire me to write out another chapter so soon. I think that the story will start to pick up its pace from now on and if any have a suggestion I'm quite welcome for them. Anyway, here's another chapter._

_Please Read and Review… =)_

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**Chapter 6 – Recollections and Promises**

Zero Kiryuu stood outside the hallway a distance away from his and Kaname's rented hotel room. He had a sleek black phone pressed in one ear while he leaned on the wall near the windows. He gazed blankly at the lightening sky and knew that it would be morning in a few more minutes. He resisted the urge to sigh as he was met with silence at the other end of the line. He knew for an instant that Touga Yagari, his current guardian, didn't take kindly to the request he had made. He had to admit that it was reckless of him to go back there when right now, they have an enemy waiting to ambush them. He chose to wait for the older hunter to reply to him again and tried to find something to put his thoughts into for a moment.

Strangely, he didn't know why he was doing this in the first place. What made Kaname so different from everyone he met so far? He had asked himself that question so many times but sadly, he never found any answer.

There was a slight disturbance in the other line and Zero knew suddenly that he had to steel himself for the argument that would certainly come.

"_Are you out of you mind? I didn't think that you would want to do something utterly stupid, Zero Kiryuu,"_ Yagari bellowed from the other end and Zero winced at the tone of voice as well as the way the older hunter called his name. He had learned since long ago that Yagari only called him by his full name when he was very angry or severely disappointed. _"I promised your parents that I would keep you out of trouble. And here you are trying to buy yourself one,"_ the older hunter continued in an exasperated tone of voice.

Zero closed his eyes before answering. "I meant what I said, Yagari-sensei and I can assure you that there is nothing stupid about what I'm supposed to do," he said seriously as he tried to picture the older man's reaction. He thought that Yagari was being way too overprotective and it wasn't as if the enemy would be watching his every move. He also reasoned that he was perfectly capable of protecting himself and if worst comes to worst, there is also Kaname. The pureblood would be going with him after all. And only a few were suicidal enough to attack a pureblood and former vampire hunter in broad daylight.

Zero could only ponder about what was wrong with his decision to go back to that place. It was pretty clear that Yagari highly disapproved of this short trip from out of nowhere. The hunter knew that it was pretty risky especially on his part but it was important for him to settle this. No important wasn't the right word to describe it. _Needed_ would be a better word. It was like killing two birds with one stone. Not only would he be able to share with Kaname that little bit of past he had but it would also offer him some closure to the pain he had been carrying for four years.

"_It's still bordering on recklessness and most of us know that the enemies had been targeting librarians during their missions. I don't want to risk you going back to a place where they might likely be,"_ Yagari said in a tone that clearly said he wanted Zero to drop the subject. _"It isn't like I'm forbidding you to go but now is not the right time. I won't even be there to accompany you because of some library matters,"_ the older hunter added. _"Try to even think about this."_

"I've already considered the possibilities. Even if we try to deny it, there is no changing the fact that I'm also a vampire," Zero said in a tone that pretty much said that he hated that insight. "Besides, I'm not alone this time and I do not think that the enemy would be stupid enough to attack us while the sun is still high," he said as he tried to get his point across his overprotective guardian.

He could not really tell Yagari the reason he wanted to do this. Half of it was to build some semblance of trust between him and the pureblood. And the other was for himself. There were lots of things in the past he wanted to settle and for that to happen, he needed to face the place where it all began.

"_What about Shizuka Hiou then? You and I both know that she's out there somewhere when she escaped me yet again,"_ the voice said seriously and Zero repressed the sudden fear and anger he felt at the mention of her name. _"Your strength would be useless against her,"_ he stated as a matter-of-factly.

Zero was silent after that statement as he remembered the dream he had a few days ago when he was injured by the level end he and Kaname faced. The one nightmare that confirmed his suspicion that Shizuka was going to fulfill her promise from four years ago.

"_She murdered your family without any remorse and I'm quite sure that she wants to continue where she left off. I don't know what exactly she's planning to do with you but I promised your parents that I would take care of you,"_ Yagari said in a soft tone and Zero had a sudden feeling of nostalgia. His father had always used that tone of voice whenever he wanted to reassure Zero that he did well during the difficult parts of the training. _"I vowed that to their graves and I'm going to do whatever it took to help you. That's why I'm asking you now to use that head of yours,"_ the last few words were spoken in frustration.

"I understand that I am being reckless in this situation but I need to do something important there," Zero insisted as he leaned his head back on the wall. "I can't explain it well in words but I have a feeling that it is something that needs to be done. It cannot wait, Yagari-sensei," he continued as he turned his head to the side and gazed at the sky outside. The sun had fully risen and the city seemed to come alive with its bright rays.

Zero could not tell his guardian the reasons why he wanted to see that place again. There were so many things running through his mind right now that he was pretty much left confused as a whole. Right now, Kaname Kuran was someone he could hang on to every time he felt his vulnerability kicking in. The pureblood was someone who knew him on a deeper level than the others and he needed the warmth and comfort he felt during that time he was injured. It was pathetic of him but he craved that feeling. It had the profound sense of being needed. That he was not alone. That someone else understood his pain.

He wanted to laugh at the irony of getting close to a pureblood when another pureblood was the reason he was suffering like this.

"Are you still against me going back there?" Zero asked listlessly.

"_There is no telling what would happen, Zero. Besides, going back to that place after all these years. What the hell are you planning now, Zero Kiryuu?"_ Yagari said suspiciously and Zero could already imagine his guardian's facial features at the moment. In his mind, Yagari was fixing him with his gaze; his remaining light blue eye would try to discern what was going on.

Zero felt that he was becoming more like a vampire. Cunning and manipulative. Someone not human anymore. Someone who wasn't himself anymore.

And that insight frightened the hunter more than anything else in the world.

He just couldn't lose himself to those insights. His emotions and individuality was the only thing left of his shattered past. He had died that night and was revived into the one thing he hated the most. The humiliation and pain that time was too much for him to handle. He felt that he had betrayed his kind by being a vampire. He had worked for the association for a year before he decided that pretending was useless. That he could never go back to the way things were.

He was already cursed.

An abomination.

Someone who was neither vampire nor human.

He sighed as he shoved those thoughts aside. "Just trust me on this one," Zero said before the both of them lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. Seemingly out of things to say to one another for that period of time.

"_You're one stubborn kid, Zero. Once you set your mind on something, there's not stopping you from doing it,"_ Yagari said exasperatedly as he finally gave in to his student's request. _"Anything else you need for this outing?"_

"I need to borrow a grimoire from the library."

"_Which one?"_

"The Pnakotic Manuscripts. I need to use one of the spells there. Would there be a problem in borrowing the book?"

"_No, there won't be a problem. I'm sure that I could request it easily from Cross. It isn't particularly harmful and only deals with spells regarding memories."_

"You're not going to ask why I need the book," Zero asked with a hint of uncertainty.

"_I decided to trust you on your decisions so I'm not going to pry into this matter. I'll send Lilianne or Kaito to take it there for you. Just promise me you'll be okay, kid?"_

"I promise."

"_Good. I'll see you at the library soon."_

Before the older hunter could cut the line. Zero decided to say something. "Yagari-sensei, did you ever regret meeting me?" he asked from out of nowhere. "Because of me, you had to leave the Hunter's Association," he added, all the while wondering why he asked the stupid question. He felt that it didn't have any point whatsoever.

"_What are you talking about, kid? If I was going to regret things later on, I wouldn't have chosen to take care of you in the first place."_

"I guess you are right. But I cannot help thinking of why you would do something like that? You are one of the greatest hunters I have known. Didn't you think about what the other hunters thought of our arrangement?" Zero said tonelessly as he tried to grasp the concept of why he was asking this questions now of all times. He couldn't understand why he was saying those things but somehow it felt better to let it all out. To say the things he wanted to a long time ago and to ease the terrible burden he had always felt.

"_Even if you became a vampire, my reasoning told me that you haven't changed at all. Cross somehow beat into my head when you were recovering that it would be a mistake on my part to abandon you,"_ Yagari said honestly. _"And it turned out that he was right. It doesn't matter what other hunters think. You're still Zero Kiryuu. A kid who I trained to become a vampire hunter and someone I could trust. I believe you won't betray your comrades no matter what."_

"How can you even be sure of such things?" Zero asked after a while. He would never admit to the older hunter that what was said just then was rather heart-warming. He found himself thinking if it was okay for the people closest to him to put their trust blindly on him.

"_You might not believe it but you're the kind of person who always put other people's lives above your own. You might not show it a lot but you're a kind lad. All my life I thought that vampires were monsters without feelings. But when it came to you, I realized I was mistaken,"_ Yagari said honestly and there a bit of silence which Zero concluded as his guardian taking a puff of smoke. _"Vampires weren't very different from us humans or hunters. And when it came down to it, humans are also capable of unspeakable acts and cruelty. Grimoire holders are a proof of that."_

Zero felt relief flood into him because of those honest words and insights from his guardian. Despite everything else, he was still seeking acceptance from this person who had been a primary person in his childhood. Touga Yagari had been his teacher for years and even till now; the man had been his guardian. When he thought about it deeply, he could consider Cross and Yagari as father figures. Though he would never admit it.

Especially in front of Cross.

He didn't want to risk getting smothered by the man's hugs and random shows of affection.

He turned his gaze towards a potted plant in the corner of the hallway and he saw the wilting bud. It seemed as though no one bothered to care for it. The rose was slowly withering away and pretty soon it would be forgotten. He realized in that moment. If no one bothered to care about him, would he end up just like this flower?

He closed his eyes and tried to contain his rampant thoughts.

"I can't believe you're saying those things to me all of a sudden," Zero muttered later on. "You already know how I was treated back then in the association. Others there never failed to remind me what an abomination and monster I was. There were times I even felt that way about myself," he admitted.

"_Don't believe what those assholes tell you. You're not a monster and you'll never be one, got that?"_ Yagari said seriously and Zero heard his teacher mumble something about 'hunters', 'stupid', and some other incomprehensible words. _"Those bastards are idiots who don't know anything about you so don't pay any attention to what they say. They don't know half of the things we do. After all, they've never faced grimoire holders before."_

"It doesn't change the fact that I'm a half vampire," Zero stated seriously as he saw his reflection on the glass surface of the windows. There was a brief flicker of crimson on his eyes to prove his point.

"_I know what you are, Zero. But the thing is I don't see you that way at all,"_ Yagari said in a fatherly tone. _"To me, you're not my student or a cold-hearted hunter or an ex-human vampire,"_ the older hunter continued. _"I never saw you as those things. To me, you're just plain old Zero,"_ he concluded gently.

The warmth of those words somehow penetrated through the barriers in the hunter's heart.

Zero then noticed something weird happening to the wilting flower he saw earlier. As if in slow motion, the flower began to blossom back to life. It was a deep crimson red, the exact same color of his own eyes when he couldn't control his vampire side. This event was always directly linked with his emotions and sometimes he tended to do it unconsciously just like now.

_Damn it!_

He didn't know how it happened but ever since that day when he became a vampire, he somehow had an affinity for plants and such. He could grow silver vines from out of nowhere though that part was exhausting for him. He could also create flowers though he still could not figure out how to change the usual lavender color to something else. And recently, he discovered that he could revive wilting plants.

Only a few knew of this weird ability and he was content to let it stay that way. After all, it was unheard of for an ex-human to be able to possess that kind of power. Cross theorized that it had something to do with him being a vampire hunter.

"You didn't have to say that so casually. It's embarrassing to hear even from the phone," Zero said quietly as he collected his thoughts. _Still, despite everything else, Yagari-sensei's honest words helped eased the pain of remembering his past even a little bit. _

"_I'm fully aware of that. It's a shame I couldn't see your face,"_ Yagari said and he laughed as he heard Zero mutter something indistinct under his breath. _"Anyway, my meeting's about to start. See you then."_

"Thanks a lot, sensei," Zero said gently as he hang up on the phone and saw Kaname gazing at him with some kind of emotion from the open doorway of their room. He didn't know what it was but it was making him uncomfortable all of a sudden. He turned his gaze away and it landed on the flower from before. The rose was blooming vividly and as if reacting to his haywire emotions, it was becoming livelier.

He snapped his gaze at the pureblood again and saw the latter smirk before heading back to their room. Zero realized in an instant that Kaname knew he was responsible for the flowers sudden blooming. No doubt, the pureblood would never stop nagging him about it. Or worse, tease him with that little knowledge.

He sighed in an irritated manner before walking back to their quarters.

_This is all Yagari sensei's fault._

**-xxXxxXxx-**

A few hours had passed since Zero called Yagari and managed to persuade the older hunter to give him permission to go somewhere. Lilianne arrived earlier on to deliver the grimoire before she left saying that she had some important things to do. Kaname once again found himself walking towards the black Mercedes Benz Vito van that Zero owned. He still didn't know where the hunter was taking him but he decided to trust his partner.

The trip seemed to be a long one and they had a few stops here and there. But Kaname found the atmosphere of this particular trip to be comfortable. He didn't even realize that he would feel that way at all. Back then, he hated trips especially when it concerned business meetings and other important matters. He had met Zero and the others just recently, but it felt as if he knew all of them since long ago. All of it came just naturally that the pureblood never paid much attention to it. He was contented to be able to stay this way for much longer.

The huge and towering buildings finally gave way to fewer houses and lost of greeneries as they headed farther up the country. It took another few hours until they reached a quiet and small town where his partner finally told him that they were getting close to their destination. They reached a small road which led to a large and lone house that stood in the distance.

Zero parked a few blocks away. He climbed out of the car and steeled himself as he gazed at the nostalgic surroundings. Most of the things here was still the same and Zero felt as if he had never left in the first place.

The two walked in silence as they headed towards the old house. They had their own thoughts and somehow, the stillness was peaceful instead of being tense. They came to the realization that they had grown at ease with each other's company. Their meeting was brought about by certain circumstances and one that they did not predict. But that little meeting led into a relationship that they never expected. A pureblood and an ex-human vampire hunter. Never in a million years had they thought ever working together.

"This house used to be my home, Kaname," Zero said indifferently as he held the handle of the door with one hand. The action seemingly the same as that night four years ago. He shook his head to clear the thoughts away.

Kaname offered no response and opted to follow the hunter at the front door. He waited for his partner to make a move and he understood the hesitation there. It was difficult to move on from the past and he learned that from experience.

"Not much had changed since the last time I was here," Zero said as he opened the front door and entered the quiet house. The only thing that changed was the cold atmosphere and the way it had aged since that day. But aside from that, everything else was the same. He remembered everything as though it was just yesterday but he shoved those unwanted thoughts away for awhile. It wouldn't do him any good to think about it for now. "It seems surreal to see this place as exactly the same as the day I left it," he added after a while.

"I know it is hard for you, Zero," Kaname said calmly and he saw the hunter look away from him. "I did not want to force you to let me see all of this if it would open up those old wounds," he added in a much softer tone of voice as he also entered the house. Despite its state, he could easily picture that this place had been a warm home. It had the same feeling as the library and he was sure that this place was filled with memories. Both painful and happy ones.

There was a fireplace in the living room area and from the stairs leading to the second floor; Kaname could see a number of rooms. There was a doorway leading to the kitchen and a garden at the back of the house. He tried to imagine what it looked like before and he found the image to be rather heart-warming.

"You didn't force me to do anything, Kaname. I really did want to come back and settle things so that I can move on a bit," Zero said seriously as he walked towards the stairs and ascended it. The pureblood followed Zero into a bedroom and from the looks of things; it may have been the hunter's old room. "I needed to come to terms with my past and the hurt that I've been running away from all those years. That is one of the reasons I came back here," he concluded.

"And the other?"

"To show you some things about me and to help you understand me better," Zero replied. "It makes me wonder though if I'm doing things the right way."

"You're kind and warm-hearted despite what others think. As long as you remember the feeling of tenderness, you won't choose the wrong path," Kaname told him. "Although this was my mother's words," he added with a hint of humor.

"You know that I try so hard to say what I mean, using so many words… yet you use so few," Zero said apathetically as he pulled out the grimoire from the bag he brought and laid it on the floor. "All I wanted to say is that sometimes, saying less convey so much more," he added as he opened it to a particular page filled with mysterious writings. "I'm going to show you a memory right now, Kaname."

The pureblood nodded in response as they stood in front of the book and they faced each other, the silver amethyst eyes of the hunter stared deeply at him. Kaname found himself later on fighting a blush as the hunter leaned in so that their foreheads were touching each other. Zero closed his eyes and Kaname followed. He vaguely remembered hearing his partner speak a few words in an ancient language before images formed in the darkness of his mind.

'_The smell of roses and sakuras flitted through the air as he lay down on someone's lap on the grassy lawn of her garden. He could see the mansion in the distance, the place he had been visiting for a while now. He heard a woman's gentle laughter above him and he looked away from there to stare at her. He couldn't see her clearly in the shade of the tree. _

_Zero closed his eyes as he savored the feeling of her gently running her hands through his hair. It was comforting and peaceful to be stay like that. A few minutes later, he felt drops of water on his face. At first, he wondered if it was raining. He opened his eyes and saw that she was crying. He reached out a hand to touch her cheek._

_It seemed that she needed him to comfort her now. She always told him that his presence was the only thing that drove away her despair and loneliness from being alone. He touched the bells on her silver hair and heard its soft sound echoing through the gardens. She confessed to him that she loved their sounds._

"_Thank you for being here always, Zero. I wouldn't have known what to do if you didn't visit me every now and then. Thank you for everything," she said gently as she resumed running her hand through his hair. She always did enjoy these times and she loved the way they just spent it in silence. He confessed to her that he loved her garden and she tried her best to use her abilities to make the roses bloom in the exact same color of Zero's eyes._

"_Don't try to change the subject," Zero said. "There's something troubling you, isn't there?" he asked._

"_There's nothing, Zero," she said but he wasn't convinced. Her long silver hair cascaded down her face and her light pink eyes gazed at him sadly. "There really is nothing wrong," she repeated but Zero suddenly felt as though something bad was going to happen. _

Kaname was surprised to learn that Zero knew Shizuka Hiou in the past. He had recently received no news about that woman's whereabouts. She had just disappeared from the face of the planet just like his uncle.

_The events were a haze of memories._

_He couldn't even catch up with what was happening._

_There was a battle between his parents and a pureblood woman whom he trusted._

_Then, there was blood everywhere._

_And finally, silence._

_Ever since he was little, Zero had learned that vampires usually bit, drank, and left their prey alone. The victim was left dead or slowly dying in a pool of their own blood. Or if they were unlucky, they were turned into ex-humans. And for a vampire hunter, it was the worse possible form of punishment._

_That was why, when her fangs brushed against his throat, he thought for sure it was the end of him. He was going to die just like his parents. He tensed when he felt her full set of teeth instead, nicking his skin. She did not pierce his neck and no blood was shed._

_Then her tongue moved across his collarbone and to his neck._

_He gasped, immediately rolling to the side in a pathetic attempt to escape the sensation. The pureblood's grip was amazingly gentle, or deceivingly so. Zero could barely move from his spot. He was strewn across her lap from his shoulders to his hips, his feet planted flat onto the ground and his head limply cradled in her arms. Zero's eyes were wide, staring frozenly forward as the vampire violated the skin of his neck. Her long fingers stroked his cheek, and the teeth were back again, grazing his flesh. _

_Zero stared forward unseeingly at his parents' corpses._

_He didn't have much time to look at them, though, because the vampire's fingers pushed at his chin and tilted his head backwards._

_A wave of pain hit his neck, as the vampire's fangs penetrated his flesh and sank into a vein. The agony was incredible. Zero's muscles seized up, a burning pain concentrating around the gaping wound. Blood spilled freely onto the floorboards, seeping between the cracks—the vampire had taken none of it into her mouth. His blood had not been drunk—that blinding agony had all been for nothing._

_His throat was being raped, torn open by the very thing they had been taught to kill, he was being completely violated in front of his parents' hollow corpses._

_Zero's heart stopped before he was rolled fully to face another side and the vampire's fangs withdrew, then bit into his neck once again, spilling more and more blood each time. Zero's vision was turning black around the edges._

_There was such a massive amount of his blood on the floor, and he was slightly jolted by a new pain, the fangs digging into his shoulder when his neck was too much of a mangled mess to use another time._

_Zero's vision blurred and the fangs paused. Slowly, they withdrew, and Zero shuddered—tears streamed from his eyes. The woman's fingers caressed the side of one cheek, deftly wiping away large drops of tears. _

"_Can you still talk, my dear Zero?" Shizuka asked in a gentle tone. She continued to caress his tears-stained face, and right then, Zero felt more vulnerable than he had ever been. He felt sick at her touch. Those hands that brutally murdered his family and ripped apart the life he had been living. "Don't you have anything to tell me?" she asked._

_Zero refused to acknowledge her statement as tears fell freely from his pain-filled eyes. Through the last of his tears, he could see the amused expression on the pureblood woman's face._

"_Can you still disobey me at this point in time?" she said with amusement. Her voice was soft and light and just like the ones she used when they spent time together. He understood then that one of the worst pains in the world that goes beyond the physical sense or any other emotional pain one can feel is betrayal. More so, if it was the betrayal of a trusted friend. "Do you really hate me that much?" she asked._

"_W-why?" he whispered faintly that if she didn't have enhanced senses, she might have never heard it._

"_Yes?" _

"_Why… are you doing… this?"_

"_You should already know by now," she said somewhat sternly. "They have sinned against me and it is proper that I deliver the appropriate punishment," she answered after a while as her fingers trailed down his lips. "You, on the other hand, are innocent. But then, I have plans for you…"_

_She kissed his forehead, closed her crimson eyes, and whispered against his mind. "I love you, Zero." Her soft lips moved over his bloodied skin._

"_You won't be able to run when the time comes. I won't let you. Because I truly I love you, my dear Zero."_

_Suddenly, the image of his parents flashed across his mind, then another in a sequence just like a film. Each scene played slowly and he saw firsthand how she brutally murdered them. He could not even turn away from the scene and no matter what he did; he saw how they died at this pureblood woman's hand. There was so much blood that everything else was painted by its crimson color. Its color burning into his subconscious._

"_Those who have sinned against me are gone now," she said. "You're the only one left,"_

_Zero cried in anger and pain. In despair and betrayal._

_His sobs felt raw and painful against his aching throat, but he couldn't stop. He could only cry as he relived the memory of their deaths._

"_Do not worry it might hurt at first but I can assure you that you won't die from it. It is the only way for us to be together," Shizuka said kindly. She softly grasped the sides of his face, turning his head to his parent's bloodied and mangled corpses. "Anything you need to ask me while you can still talk?" she offered in the same tone of voice. In Zero's mind, he knew what he wanted. _

"_Kill… me," Zero whispered in between ragged breaths. "Please, end… my… life…"_

_He had always feared death even though his job always put his life at risk. His parents had always told him to throw that fear away and always focus on doing his best to accomplish his missions. He tried his best but somehow, he couldn't let go of that fear._

_But not this time…_

_He would rather choose death than live with this profound pain. It was as if his heart was taken out from his chest, leaving a hollow hole in its place. There was nothing else to live for and he knew that he would only be living a life full of suffering. If that was the case, death was the best solution. _

"_Please, just kill me right now," Zero whimpered as soon as he found his voice. I can't live like this anymore, he thought suddenly._

_I want to die…_

_Briefly, Shizuka paused as though contemplating something. _

"_I already told you that I won't kill you, Zero," she whispered and he did not have any time to wonder as her fangs pierced his skin once again, opening a new wound, blood spilling freely just like before. This time, though, not a drop splattered the floor – she pressed her lips firmly upon his neck, and he knew that she was drinking his blood._

_His own blood was being drawn from him._

_Her arms had been like steel as they wrapped around him, pulling him close and holding him tight. He wondered what was happening to him. Why couldn't he fight back? For just a moment her lips had been whisper soft on his skin. It had tickled right before she bit him. Then there had been the feeling of being torn apart – not just skin, but mind and soul as well. He had felt the blood pumping from him into Shizuka; he remembered pleading for her to end his life that instant. But she never complied with his request. It ended for a short while, even thought it had felt like a lifetime to him._

_He was cursed now._

_Zero couldn't see nor feel anything anymore. The last thing he could feel were that pureblood woman's gentle and cold hands, placing him onto the bed, leaving him alone in that empty feeling house. The last thing he heard was her promise and it somehow replayed on his mind over and over again. Please, I want to die, Zero thought numbly. I don't ever want to wake up again._

_He lay there on the bed, wet with sweat and limp with blood loss. The pain was excruciating, and he couldn't move any part of his body. He could still feel Shizuka's teeth sinking into his neck. The pain had been unlike anything he had ever experienced. It had been dwarfed, though, by the horror of the forced intimacy._

"_Don't worry, my dear Zero. When the day that the pain becomes too unbearable, I will come for you again. After all, you are destined to join forces with me. And I will make sure that no one would come in our way again."_

_As the darkness filled his vision, the last thing he saw was her crimson eyes gazing gently at him._

_At long last, darkness overcame him._

Kaname returned to the present and he shifted his gaze to Zero who was looking at him uncertainly for the first time. The book lay open on the floor and forgotten as he replayed the whole thing in his mind. There was no word to describe what he felt when he saw all that happened and he felt truly helpless as he watched from the sidelines. He could only imagine the pain and humiliation the hunter felt when it happened to him all those years ago. It was worse than he thought and it seemed that his own pain was meager compared to that.

At least, when his parents were murdered, he wasn't there to witness the carnage of it.

He now understood why it seemed his partner was wary of vampires at first and he was sure that if they didn't become partners, Zero was bound to hate him just like he hated the woman who was the cause of all of this. It also became very clear to him that Zero had lost a lot of things that night. He had always wondered why the hunter never showed emotions so openly even through the so-called mask people used. And he realized that it was the result of this tragedy. It was like a self defense from experiencing painful memories again.

_I didn't even know,_ Kaname thought sadly as he gazed at the hunter's uncertain features. _I wasn't even aware of your sufferings._

Meanwhile, Zero knew that his barriers and defenses were down. He couldn't even muster up the energy to compose himself. When he requested to use the grimoire to see through the past, he had thought that he had gotten over the pain after four years. It seemed that he was wrong and seeing that event up close was enough to break his heart apart once again.

He felt the looming shadow of grief sweep over him again. The death of a loved one is funny like that. It didn't matter how much time he grieved or how much time has passed, the littlest reminder of the person who died – a scent, an object, a word – sent him back to the moment he lost them, and before he could blink, he was overcome by the aching sadness he worked so hard to leave behind.

The pain he felt intensified at each recollection and he wondered how he managed to live with that memory. He had carried through despite harboring that memory and lived something akin to a peaceful and content life.

He realized that maybe it was because everyone else was there.

And because of that, he was afraid.

Afraid to lose the people he had grown to call his second family.

He knew that he could never afford to go through the same thing again. He had already carried on after that tragedy even if the process was very slow and painful, and that had been hard enough. Knowing that, he understood that he could never do it again. His life had already been broken so many times and if it happened to him once more, he was certain he would never be able to pick up the pieces.

He turned around so that his back was facing the pureblood, his head gazing at the floor.

Kaname knew that it was so wrong to see the headstrong hunter like this. This broken person in front of him wasn't the Zero that he always knew. His garnet colored eyes softened a notch at he gazed at his partner. He knew that there were no need for words for now; all he could do was to comfort the hunter through his actions. He didn't know how to do that but his mind was trying to give him vague ideas.

_Zero is different from me, _Kaname began thinking. _The world he lived in and the things he experienced… yet despite that, I feel like I want to be there for him always…_

The pureblood's eyes didn't even fully register that his own arms had wrapped themselves around the hunter's shoulders until he felt a hand clasping one of his wrists. He was startled a little, wondering how his private thoughts had led him there, and he wondered if perhaps he had gone too far for that. He expected that hand to yank his arm away and allow its owner to slip out of his grasp. He thought that it was all right. After all, Zero did not seem to be a huggy person (well, it somehow applied to him too) and so he began to relax his hold, ready to let go –

But the hold tightened ever so slightly, when he tried to move his arms away. And that was when he began to realize just what that gesture exactly meant.

"Zero…" he whispered softly. He wrapped his arms more snugly around the silver haired young man, resting his head on a shoulder and offering an unseen smile. He couldn't see his partner's face from this angle, which made it hard to figure out what exactly was going on right now. "Are you feeling well now?"

There was maybe a half second of hesitation before he received a nod, but that was all it took.

He stayed like that for about a few minutes or so, with Zero caged in his arms and nothing but the empty house and its shadows to witness this moment. His smile widened despite himself when he felt the hunter lean back into the touch, a far cry from the cold, sometimes curt rejections that the hunter had when others like Head Librarian Cross tried to hug him.

When Zero finally lifted his head Kaname decided it was time to pull away. So he did, and the hunter turned around, features carefully back into its masked indifference. Although this time, the look in the hunter's eyes betrayed his emotions.

"Thanks," Zero murmured quietly at the floor. "I told you that this place was where everything else began for me. This is my old home and the place where most of my memories reside. I feel as if everything ended too quickly for me and that I lost my parents so fast. Yagari took me in when I had no one else and often I wonder where I would be if not for him," he continued while the pureblood kept silent. "It's been four years Kaname and I know that my time is almost up…" he trailed off and closed his eyes in reflection.

"Don't say such ridiculous things," Kaname said heatedly as he took in the message of those words.

"It wouldn't do us any good to pretend otherwise," Zero said as he finally stared at the pureblood.

Kaname gazed at Zero seriously and he held the hunters hand tightly. "Even if I have to die a thousand deaths, I _will _find a way to save you," he said without any hesitation and he watched as Zero's eyes widened in surprise. _"I swear it,"_ he whispered on the hunter's ear as he leaned in close.

Zero could only remain silent as Kaname told him that promise. He could never understand the pureblood and he thought that he probably never would. No matter how much he tried to deny that he was attracted to the pureblood's warmth, he could not force himself to stay away. Yet, somehow, he feared that connection more than anything else in the world. He had trusted a pureblood once and look at where it got him.

He leaned his head on the pureblood's shoulders as the tiredness and pressure of the day's events finally got to him.

_Why do you always make me believe in those words and force me to hope that there is a chance for me to be saved?_

_

* * *

_

**Extra Notes:**

**Pnakotic Manuscripts – **The Pnakotic Manuscripts is named after the place where it was kept, the city of Pnakotus, a primordial metropolis built by the Great Race of Yith. The Great Race is credited with authoring the Manuscripts, though other scribes would add to it over the ages. A fictional manuscript in the Cthulhu Mythos. The tome was created by H. P. Lovecraft and first appeared in his short story "Polaris" (1918). They are mentioned in many of Lovecraft's stories, including _At the Mountains of Madness_ (1936), _The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath_ (1926), "The Other Gods" (1933), and "The Shadow Out of Time" (1936). The manuscripts are also referred to by other mythos authors, such as Lin Carter and Brian Pnakotic Manuscripts are noteworthy for being the first of Lovecraft's fictional arcane books. It is possible that "Pnakotic" is a deliberate pun on "narcotic", as the "P" in the former is probably silent.


	7. resolutions and encounters

_Thank you very much for all those who have reviewed the last chapter! =) And for those who have just started reading this fic, I hope that you guys would like how this story would play out. Anyway, a lot have happened in the last chapter and this next update would continue from where we left off…_

_This chapter also focuses a lot on Zero and Kaname… as well as a certain meeting between two unlikely people…_

_So here it is, please Read and Review! =)_

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Resolutions and Encounters**

The journey back to the hotel was rather uneventful compared to what happened a few hours prior to that. But for Kaname Kuran, it meant so much more than he could possibly describe. He had found out so many things that he felt his mind was going on overload from all of it. He did not understand when it had started but his care for Zero was steadily growing. He could manipulate others into doing things he wanted them to and he could play with lives as though they were nothing but a pawn in a chess game he had devised himself. He did all of those things all because he wanted to defeat his cursed uncle. He wanted to seek revenge on all of the hurt the man had done to him. Yet Zero was a special case. He could sacrifice so many in his quest for victory but he could never subject his partner to that same treatment. The hunter was the only person he didn't want to involve in that power struggle. The only person he didn't want to use for his own gain.

He knew that the hunter was strong. Stronger than everyone else he had met in all of his lifetime. But he didn't want to risk placing Zero in danger just because of his own problems and whims. He was a pureblood and he was confident enough to be able to protect the people he cared about but then, wasn't his enemy one as well? It would be a difficult battle and though his rational mind told him that Zero was an asset in securing his victory, his heart would say otherwise.

Because he understood so easily that he didn't want to _lose_ Zero.

Yet it seemed that no matter what he thought and did, fate was against him.

Because he knew.

He damned knew the truth.

That the person he had grown to care about was _dying._

_Zero was going to die soon._

How could he have missed that fact? Was he really off his game this time? He should've known that such a thing was possible the moment he discovered that Zero was an ex-human vampire. The memories the hunter shared with him had been a concrete proof of what transpired four years ago. Zero had not yet taken his sire's blood and the vampire poison that was used to change his genetic make-up from human to vampire was slowly killing him inside. He could not even fathom how his partner managed to stay alive for four years. By all rights, most ex-humans either descend to level E or die a few days after the initial bite. He didn't know how it was possible that Zero managed to make it this far.

He glanced at his partner from the corner of his eyes before focusing back on the road and his thoughts.

It only occurred to him a few hours ago that he had just figured out the reason for Zero's strange disappearance that day when he first arrived in the library. He partially understood why the hunter didn't want others to know about his sickness. If he were on his partner's shoes, he figured that he would do just the same.

He already knew that a lot of things lay ahead of him and he wanted to be prepared to face all of them. He needed to get stronger than he was now. And he was all too aware that he had another potential enemy on his list. Another pureblood one at that.

_Even if I have to die a thousand deaths, I will find a way to save you…_

He had uttered those words with such surety that it frightened him for a second. How could one life mean so much to him? He was someone who could not afford weaknesses but despite that, he couldn't bring himself to push Zero away. He was very selfish, he already knew that. So selfish that he didn't want to let go of the one person who would be placed in danger because of him. The one person who would one day break his heart when the time came for them to be separated. God, he was a complete idiot.

He wondered what the others would say when they all saw him now.

The moment he saw that memory. The night that started this chain of pain and sufferings. He became aware of the fact that his feelings for the hunter were deeper than he could have imagined. There was no describing the sadness that he felt when he empathized with the hunter. The grimoire's spell made him privy to the emotions accompanied by those memories. He felt the hunter's pain, guilt, anger, and despair. Those feelings were still with Zero and the hunter hid it deep within his guarded heart.

The pureblood wanted nothing more than to heal that darkness and save the hunter from his fate.

His promise would never be broken.

He would ensure that Zero would be freed from the chains binding him to that painful past. And most of all, he would _never_ let the hunter die.

It was still a few more hours before they arrive back into the hotel and Kaname found the silence quite peaceful despite his inner turmoil. The sun had already set and night was fast approaching. He gazed once again at Zero and it came to him how much the hunter occupied his thoughts lately. It only took a short time for him to become attached to this person. It was as if Zero was someone he had always been waiting for.

Being with Zero just seemed so natural.

As if it was meant to be.

"Talk to me, Zero. Trying to bottle up all of those feelings isn't good," Kaname said meaningfully as he turned his attention to the road after giving the hunter a gentle look. "I know that from experience and I can say that it isn't the right thing to do at all," he added with a hint of sadness present in the tone. "It doesn't help that I'm worried about you too," he concluded and waited for his partner's response.

Zero was momentarily surprised when Kaname suddenly spoke to him. It wasn't that the pureblood talked to him that caught him off guard but rather the words that were said in that gentle tone. The tone of voice he associated with to people who cared. He wasn't lying when he told himself that he didn't know what to do with these foreign feelings. He had never thought about finding happiness ever again.

But how could the pureblood make him feel this way.

Make him believe that there is hope when there is none.

When there isn't a future waiting for him.

"You always worry about people around you, don't you?" Zero said as he gazed at the window and saw Kaname's saddened expression reflected there. "I'm all right now," he added and he realized that it sounded untrue for the pureblood so he continued, "I'm not lying about that. It still hurts a bit and I doubt that I won't forget this feeling any time soon. But it's better than before," he concluded. _Because you were there with me, Kaname,_ he thought afterwards.

He could still feel the pureblood's arms and the warmth it brought, chasing away the coldness that those memories left him in. He would never admit it in front of others but Kaname's gesture meant a lot to him. Ever since his parents died, he had never found it within himself to care about many things. He lived through each day waiting for the end to come.

"Very well, I won't pursue the matter any longer," Kaname said simply, satisfied with the answer. "You should rest for a while," he added. "Using the grimoire must have taken a lot of your strength."

The hunter didn't answer but he watched as Zero laid back comfortably on the seat.

"I hate to admit it but I was afraid that you'll think of me differently when you saw my memories," Zero said after a while. "That you would think of me as weak and make me realize that it was really my fault that my parents died," he continued with a hint of sadness in that otherwise indifferent tone.

"There is no way I would think of you that way," Kaname replied gently. "And it wasn't a fault of yours, she was just stronger that time and there really was nothing you could have done," he added and somehow, those words applied to him as well. "Things just happen no matter how unfair it may seem."

"But other people seemed to harbor a different opinion."

Kaname came to a realization then. "Is that the reason why you left the Hunter's Association?" he asked.

Silence met his statement and Kaname felt that it was best not to pursue this topic for now. He realized that he couldn't make Zero remember another painful aspect of his past. It made him think that a lot more had happened after that incident with Shizuka and it pained him to guess that Zero's suffering didn't end that night.

"When I came back to my old home, I wanted to discover if anything would change," Zero said breaking the uncomfortable silence earlier. "If I could continue just like I had before."

"Of course none of it would change. And even if it did, no matter what you or everyone else tells me, my feelings on the matter would not change. I would never abandon you," Kaname said in a serious tone. "That is why you don't need to take everything alone anymore."

"Even if being with me means you'll face even more danger?"

"Of course."

"You're so sure of yourself, Kaname. I wonder where all that confidence came from."

"I'm a pureblood, after all," Kaname said in a lighter tone of voice.

Zero resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the simple answer. "Arrogant bastard," he muttered.

"I prefer the word reliable comrade," Kaname answered back.

Zero sighed. "I know that I'm acting weird right now and I guess you can blame it on my tiredness," he reasoned as he finally made eye contact with the pureblood. "I never regretted working with you despite the fact that you annoy me at times. I feel as if you're the only person I could ever trust to be my partner and the one I want to have by my side," he concluded and he knew that he said those words because of everything that Kaname had done for him. Maybe the pureblood was right, he didn't have to try taking everything on alone.

Not when there were a lot of people offering their hands to him.

"Zero…" Kaname whispered as he heard the words he had wanted to hear from the hunter. The proof that his partner didn't hate him despite what another pureblood had done and that his partner admitted that he wanted him to stay. It was far from what he truly felt about Zero but it was enough for now. To know that Zero needed him somehow. It truly was enough. The rest could wait for another time.

_My times has finally started to move at a furious pace. Until now, I thought that I could continue to face my everyday life the way I always had. But I know that's not the case anymore. Because you are here now and I won't let you go, _Kaname thought seriously.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Kaname had been walking along the streets for quite a while just to gather his thoughts and he had a feeling that Zero needed some time alone to speak with Kaito who had arrived at the hotel almost an hour ago. It was a quiet evening until he felt something in the air. He steeled himself and forced his expression to be neutral as he turned around an alley through the park where he felt an unwelcome presence. He glanced around him and noticed that there was not a human in sight. Good. None of the innocents would be caught in the crossfire while he dealt with the enemy. He already knew who this person was and he had no intention of letting this person come to close to his partner.

Now that he knew the painful memory that Zero hid deep inside his heart and mind, Kaname was certain more than ever that he wanted to protect the hunter from those who would hurt him. He just couldn't let the same pain and sufferings happen again to the one person he decided to care about. Who cared if it was some foolish emotion that he could not afford. He would never break his promise to the hunter no matter what.

'_If ever there came a time that I cannot follow you into hell, Zero…'_

'_I only need to drag you back out of it…'_

'_No matter what the cost…'_

'_That is my promise…'_

Yes, he had told himself that when he finished the disastrous first mission. Zero had asked him and he replied honestly, knowing that he was already too drawn in by his mysterious partner. The pureblood was brought out of his thoughts as a jet black bird stopped in front of him and perched on the nearby tree.

A raven.

Its crimson eyes were trained on him and Kaname felt the foreign presence inside of its mind. The bird then looked around as though searching for something and he was glad that the city would help hide Zero's exact location. He walked closer and gazed at the bird with his garnet colored eyes. That was when the presence grew stronger and a voice echoed from within the animal.

"_You do not even know a single thing about Zero. Why do you keep on insisting to have him by your side?" _a woman's voice said bitterly._ "That's right. You're just some pureblood brat who doesn't know anything about him or his purpose. Don't even believe that he cares about you when in fact, he just might be using you,"_ she continued in the same tone of voice.

Kaname didn't speak at the moment and he believed that she was wrong in her statement because he knew some things about Zero now. The hunter had trusted him with his own memories and shared the profound pain of losing everything. Zero had risked coming back to that place so that the fragile trust they had would grow stronger.

"_But still… you have him by your side," she concluded in a tone that belied her curiosity._

Kaname noted that the last statement also held some pain and loneliness. He was aware that it was what she had felt all those years when she lost the person she loved. Shizuka Hiou was another victim of his uncle's cruel plans but Kaname couldn't bear to show pity on her. Not when she was the cause of Zero's pain. Not when she was the reason he was going to lose Zero if he didn't do something soon.

"Certainly, it is as you might perceive but I'll have you understand that I could not and would never leave Zero," Kaname replied calmly as he fixed the bird with a serious gaze. "I know for a fact that there is an exit somewhere and I would figure it out even if it is the last thing I do. That is one of the reasons I have to be with him," he continued and he watched as a hint of anger flash in the bird's crimson gaze. "There is no exact reason as to why I feel this way but know that I'm only following the conviction inside of me," he added softly. "And that is: _to save him from his own darkness._"

Silence greeted his statement and he could only guess of a couple of things Shizuka was thinking at the moment. He already knew that he was picking a fight this way but he was certain that it was something he wanted to do. Harming her would not ruin his reputation in the Vampire Council since her name was already listed in the list of vampires to be liquidated by the Hunter's Association. It seemed that her crime would not go unpunished but she had eluded capture for four years.

He felt another presence join them but he did not react, knowing that it was one of their trusted allies. He was relieved to know that someone else was there to offer assistance should things go out of hand. Though, he wondered briefly as to what that person was doing here.

"_Reality is a harsh mistress, Kaname Kuran. Things may be all right now, but the time will come when you will become a burden to each other,"_ Shizuka said in a soft yet dangerous voice. _"He would be better off without you,"_ she continued and Kaname had to hold in the emotions he felt at that statement. He knew that it would not do him any good to become angered.

He felt a spike of partially hidden aura and he realized that his mysterious companion bristled at that statement. He had to wonder why though since Shizuka's words were certainly directed at him.

"You are severely mistaken, Shizuka Hiou. My own _feelings _on the matter will go on forever. It had been like that since long ago, and I am sure that it will like that from now on," Kaname replied without missing a beat. "Because I know that my _feelings_, even up until now, have never stopped once," he concluded and he saw that the bird rose up its wings and shrieked before it flew away. Leaving him to his own devices. "You can come out now, Lilianne?" he called out after a while.

He saw someone approach him and sure enough, Lilianne Meitzen strode out from the bushes looking a bit surprised. Her jet black hair was now pulled up in a high ponytail.

"I'm quite surprised. You and Zero-sama always catch me no matter how hard I hide my presence," Lilianne said with a bit of annoyance in her otherwise kind and gentle features. She stopped a distance from him and surveyed the surroundings for a while.

"Zero-sama?" Kaname questioned since it was the first time he ever heard her refer to his partner that way.

"Oh Goddess!" Lilianne exclaimed as she realized her mistake and she hoped that Zero wouldn't hate her for this. Knowing that there was no way out of the situation, she settled for telling the truth and hoping that Kaname would understand. She sighed. "Let's take a walk, shall we? This place doesn't feel safe yet. And I've been dying to try the coffee in a café here."

Kaname gestured for her to lead the way as they both left the park and headed to a café located close to the hotel where he and Zero stayed. Lilianne placed some orders for the both of them and he waited for her to start the conversation.

"I guess I slipped there momentarily," Lilianne said ruefully. "To tell you the truth, Zero is my master," she said seriously and seeing Kaname's questioning look she continued, "In other words, he is someone I serve willingly. You can call me a maid, a servant, a bodyguard, and so on. But it doesn't change the fact that he had saved me and I am willing to repay him for his kindness," she added honestly as she smiled at the fond memory. "No one except for Cross and Yagari knows about it so can I ask you to keep it a secret," she said hopefully.

"I see," Kaname said as he tried to take in what she had told him so far. It seemed that Zero still had a lot of things he kept hidden. It surprised him a bit since he had never pegged Lilianne to be someone's bodyguard and Zero to be someone's master. "You can be rest assured that I would keep this a secret," he said after a while.

"Oh, Goddess! Thank you very much. I was afraid that Zero would find out that I slipped and he would certainly reprimand me about the way I address him," Lilianne said happily and upon seeing Kaname's confused look she added, "He hates the way I refer to him as _Zero-sama_ in private but I can't call him in any other way because that it how I show my gratitude. He always tells me that it isn't needed and I should have my own life. But I love working for him."

"You are quite a strange person, Lilianne. I don't think anyone would be that serious and devoted to someone who helped them."

She laughed softly. "You're not the only person who told me that. But after living in the dark for so long, when he showed me the light, I found that I owed him a lot. I wouldn't be here for now if it wasn't for him," Lilianne said softly.

Kaname understood how kind Zero was despite how he acted most of the time. He had never quite met anyone who picked up so-called _strays_ without any ulterior motives. Especially one like Lilianne Meitzen who was a talented spell caster. He was also a recipient of that kindness and he wondered how the hunter could always be like that. Zero could be distant yet caring at the same time. The hunter always protected and saved someone regardless of the repercussions or dangers. The pureblood had been a witness to that during their first mission.

It seemed that kindness was one of Zero's primary traits.

"Can I ask you something?" Kaname said after a while and he watched as Lilianne gave him a nod. "What brings you back here of all places? I was under the impression that you left earlier on when you gave us the grimoire. And for its return, Kaito was the one who picked it up."

"I felt Zero-sama's aura return here suddenly when I was scrying and I got a bit worried that he was overexerted himself so I went back to check on him," Lilianne replied. "But before I could do that, I also felt you and another pureblood in the vicinity."

Kaname smiled a bit. "You remind me of someone I know," he stated.

"Who?"

"Seiren. She was my bodyguard before I joined the library," Kaname replied. "She always seemed to be wherever I was and was quite devoted to her job as her family was before her. The only difference is that you are more understandable compared to her. You seem to allow Zero the freedom to do things despite the danger," he added.

"I respect his decision and that is why I let him. Though it does not change the fact that I do worry and forces me to do methods I would never normally do."

"And what are those methods you speak of?"

"Stalking."

A few minutes of silence before Lilianne giggled at her straight-forward response. Meanwhile, Kaname smiled at the young woman's actions. It always seemed to him that his partner was surrounded by kind and eccentric people. And it warmed him that they think of him, a pureblood, as one of them.

"Since you're here I think that you already know about his condition. Can I ask you to ensure that he takes his medicine daily and to watch out for his health?" Lilianne asked softly as she finished her drink and stood up to leave when Kaname nodded in response to her question. "I better leave then. I still have a mission I need to finish after all," she stated.

The two of them walked towards the door and before leaving, she stopped by in front of him. She looked at him cheerfully. Her electric blue eyes filled with kindness and warmth.

"Don't believe what Shizuka told you. I know for certain that Zero-sama isn't someone who would use others for his own needs," Lilianne said sincerely. "It might not mean much since I'm the one telling you this but I believe that you mean a lot to him. He trusts you and is willing to go out of his way to share his guarded past. Something that Shizuka is probably jealous about," she added with a soft smile.

"I know," Kaname stated, realizing that it felt nice to hear that Zero trusted him as partner and friend from someone else.

"He might not show it, given how he acts. But he cares about you just like you do to him. He shared his painful memories. Memories that he buried deep inside of him and he seemed to be at ease in showing his vulnerable side to you. He's a very private person but he seemed to open up a little thanks to you," Lilianne uttered honestly. _So please save him from this darkness, Kaname…_

With those words, Lilianne departed and left Kaname to ponder her words and its implications. He knew then that his _care_ for Zero was something more profound than just that. It wasn't just a simple thing and today was a proof of that.

He was tethered to Zero as absolutely as though he had been shackled to the wall of some dungeon. And Zero and Shizuka had a bond that required one of them to be the cause of the destruction of the other one. Somehow, this wasn't a simple problem. And the solution was the same.

But it was alright, he would not fail Zero Kiryuu. He would do everything in his power to win this battle no matter what.

How many times had he thought about his partner?

It seemed that Zero had occupied every bit of his waking thoughts ever since they had first met in the Dark Woods Library. He had never expected to become interested in anyone and he only thought that revenge would be the only thing he would be focused on. But when he laid eyes on Zero and gotten to know the hunter on a deeper level, all of his plans changed. Now that he met Shizuka, he thought deeply on what his _feelings_ were. He was always confused for the past few days and he could not define what it was he and Zero had. He could consider the hunter as a close friend, a brother in arms, a colleague. But his feelings ran deeper than mere friendship and care.

He realized it just now that what he felt was apparently… love.

There was no denying it right now. Even if Zero did not feel the same, he would still love the hunter. Somebody once told him that apparently coming to love someone meant that there's nothing one can do about it. It all just happens so naturally. At first he wondered how plausible the statement was but after meeting Zero and realizing this feeling, he finally understood how true it was.

_Really, isn't there a limit to how much a person can love somebody?_

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Kaname had just arrived back at the hotel and he wondered what the hunter was doing now. It was already late in the evening and he had only realized that he must've taken a long time in that walk. He headed straight for the hunter's room and was on the verge of knocking when someone called his name from behind. He stopped and looked over to see Kaito heading his way.

"Hey there!" Kaito said as a greeting. He had not been working with Kaname Kuran often and though he had some hint of wariness against purebloods, he was willing to tolerate this man's presence for his friend. "Zero's not in his room. If you want to talk to him, he's at the roof top," he said and was particularly pleased that he was right when he told Zero that the pureblood might want to talk to him after what happened. "See you then, I've got another job to do in the next town," Kaito said as he walked away.

Kaname strode to the stairs and headed to the rooftop where Kaito said Zero was. Finally, he would get to talk to the hunter in private. He had confirmed a lot of things after that encounter with Shizuka and his only problem now was that would he be able to convey his feelings clearly to the young man.

Meanwhile, Zero stood with his back towards the door of the rooftop, thinking about certain things. What did he fell for Kaname? What was he to the pureblood? It was Kaito's fault that he was thinking about this now. Why did that damned idiot have to open up what happened back at his old home? He had asked himself those particular questions a couple of times but he couldn't find an answer to them at all. It was true that they met only recently but being with Kaname seemed so normal. Like it was just an everyday occurrence. There was no need to pretend to be someone and act so distant. The pureblood always managed to draw out his emotions so easily. He knew it was dangerous to be close to anyone like that, seeing as he faced a huge dilemma. But then, it might be his selfishness speaking, he didn't want to let Kaname go. But if all he could do was hurt Kaname, wouldn't it be better to just end it? Before both of them would regret it in the end.

He then looked behind him when he heard it open and he was a bit surprised to see Kaname standing there looking at him gently. He never expected that he would have to face the pureblood so soon after his talk with Kaito. After a while, he composed himself and greeted his partner. Kaname returned it with one of his own before coming to move closer to him.

Despite that, they tried not to make eye contact with each other, knowing that whatever they felt was reflected in their eyes. They both stood silent, waiting for the other to speak first. They both noted how awkward the moment seemed to be despite their own resolution to resolve the issue and their own feelings.

"Sorry…" both of them said at the exact same moment and for that one second, they looked at each others eyes. From Kaname's warm garnet ones to Zero's cool amethyst ones. They were both transfixed by that split second as they saw the genuineness of that single word in their eyes.

"I wanted to apologize for everything that happened since I became your partner. You got hurt in the first mission because I was careless and recently, when I made you remember such painful memories," Kaname said calmly as he regarded the hunter. "I always wondered if I was the one bringing you all of these pains now. That is why I want to apologize."

"There's really nothing you should apologize for. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hurt when I remembered those things. To be honest, it was though. Tough enough to distract even me. But I'm alright now. I'm the one who should apologize to you after all", Zero said gently as he looked at Kaname.

"What do you mean by that? I recall that you haven't done anything wrong?" Kaname said as he looked at Zero. There in the hunter's eyes he found something he never wanted to see. Zero's silver amethyst gaze was filled with sadness and suffering. He had promised to himself back then that he would take away that pain no matter what but why the hell couldn't he do anything right now?

"Don't you remember what happened then?" Zero said as he fixed his gaze at Kaname. His regret clearly reflected in his eyes. "I bit you and took your blood. I couldn't even manage to control myself from those urges. I don't have any excuses for it and that is why I'm sorry," he said. "Things happened so fast that I never had the chance to apologize for that."

Kaname could do nothing but look at Zero yet every part of him clearly wanted to hold the hunter, to assure him that everything was going to be alright. He didn't want to see his partner suffering like this. Being a vampire. Being a human. Being a pureblood or a hunter. None of those mattered to him at this moment. He just wanted to see Zero smile all the time. He didn't want the hunter to lose that kindness and small happiness. After all, to love someone is sad and painful, but it makes one really happy. If he would experience pain like this, then he would gladly accept them, because for him there will be no one else like Zero.

"I gave my blood to you willingly so there is nothing to be sorry for," Kaname said as his resolve grew. "You protected me and I wanted to help you. I was aware of what would happen but I couldn't care less. What was important was that I was able to take away that pain," he concluded with a determined glint in his gaze.

"I didn't want to hurt you at all. You didn't have to give your blood to me and risk your standing in society because of me. I'm an ex-human vampire, Kaname. I could either die or fall to level E. Aren't you even afraid of me? That I'm just using you," Zero said angrily as he gazed at the pureblood with the same crimson orbs he saw back then. The bright red that reminded him of the blood moon he had always been fascinated with.

"I'm not afraid, Zero. If you thought of using me, I would forgive you. It doesn't change anything at all between us," Kaname said with confidence as he locked gazes with the hunter, showing his sincerity at that statement. "And also, I do not care what those people think of me at all. You're my partner; it is natural that I would help you."

"Hurting you is the one thing I never wanted to do. But that isn't the reality at all. As long as she lives, I feel that my problems won't end and I'll only expose you to more danger," Zero told Kaname as he gazed somewhere else and the pureblood saw in those eyes the pain and sadness as they turned back to their normal color. "I'd rather we parted ways now than have you despise me and leave me behind one day. My biggest fear right now is being abandoned like that again," he whispered.

Zero knew that he was being vulnerable like this and he was laying open his emotions to Kaname. He had always been in control of himself but whenever the pureblood was concerned, the barriers he placed around himself always crumbled. But he didn't think that it was something bad at times. He did change after all those years as a librarian and he learned to open a bit to other people despite the distance he placed. Back then, he couldn't understand the feeling of being in touch with people. At that time, he couldn't understand the feeling of being alone because he never allowed anyone else into his heart again. Those small encounters totally changed the path he was walking. And for the first time in his life, he began to believe that the blissful times would continue forever. But it didn't mean that he would let others suffer for his sake just like what happened to his parents, which was why he wanted Kaname to understand what being with him would do.

After all, everyone he had cared about and loved suffered in some way or another because of him.

"I never regretted once ever meeting you and becoming your partner, Zero," Kaname told him honestly. "I know now that I can never bring myself to abandon you after all those promises I've made. If there is one thing you can be sure of, it's that you would never lose me no matter what happens," he continued as he gazed at Zero and took one of the hunter's hand and held it tightly with his own. For the first time, he managed to fight the oncoming blush. He noted that Zero's hands were a bit cold and he hoped that his hands could warm the hunter's own. "That is why you don't need to worry too much," he concluded.

"If you keep on insisting to be with me, Kaname, I fear that I would only drag you down into the darkness with me. I don't want to do such a thing after all that you've done for me," Zero said seriously as he moved to take his hand away but before he could even do so, Kaname held it more tightly to him. "I'm not pulling away because I hate you. And no matter how much I wanted to have that kind of feeling, I couldn't bring myself to do just that. I might've disliked from time to time but I never hated you," he continued in the same tone. "Just think of this as a way for me to prevent you from all of this pain," he concluded and he noticed that the pureblood moved closer to him so that they were standing only inches away from each other.

Kaname could hear his own heart hammering in his chest. He felt nervous knowing that one small mistake would push the one person he loved away. He wanted to confess what he felt but he knew that now was not the time for that. There was a more perfect setting and he could deal with that the moment when whatever danger they faced would come to pass.

"Don't think for one second that you can disappear after all that we've been through. I'm not afraid of suffering and I know that whatever it is I would face, I would not lose," Kaname replied in a determined tone. "You're an important person for me so I've decided some time ago that I would never let you go anywhere. I am selfish and I know that. But I am only doing this because I want to," he continued in a much gentler tone.

_I could not tell you this today but… I realized that if I could be the most important person in your life, how happy I would be,_ Kaname thought after a while.

"Why is it you make me want to start living again and believe there is a hope for me when I gave up a long time ago?" Zero whispered in pain-filled tones. "Why?"

Kaname gazed at the hunter. "Because there is still hope and I know that I can save you. I don't want you to think that giving up is okay because it isn't. You can't die, Zero. I won't let you."

"Think logically, Kaname. You can't control life and death."

"That's the problem with you, Zero. You always think so logically," Kaname told him gently. "There is nothing wrong with believing again no matter how slim that hope might be," he added as he held the hunter's gaze.

Zero sighed in defeat when he realized the pureblood was in one way, correct in his own reasoning. _I don't have anything else to lose so maybe I should take another gamble with fate._ "You're really an idiot, Kaname," Zero said in a light tone. "But I guess I'm an idiot too for trying to believe in you. Though it doesn't feel as bad as I thought it would be," he added softly. "I don't know why but I feel reassured when you say those things to me. I wanted to… thank you for everything," he told the pureblood and as he felt the warmth that Kaname brought him, he didn't hesitate when he wrapped his arms around the pureblood and rested his head on Kaname's shoulder.

Kaname was taken aback when Zero let go of their contact but his eyes widened in surprise when Zero embraced him. It was really unexpected that his thoughts seemingly ceased to function. He stood there as the hunter held him. As soon as he got his thoughts back together, he circled his arms around the hunters back and also held the hunter tightly. A part of his mind wished that this moment would never end. Being held like this was a truly wonderful feeling and he wondered what brought it about. Zero was never one to initiate close contact.

"Zero, are you feeling well?" Kaname inquired when he thought that Zero hugging him like this would never become a reality. But he was mistaken, wasn't he? _I definitely love you… so I want to keep believing that there is still hope for us,_ he told himself.

"I really don't know what is wrong with me today. I just felt that I should do this," Zero replied. "Just don't let go yet," he added and the pureblood complied without uttering another word. He felt his heart beat in sync with his feelings and the warmth he felt just being close to Kaname. He didn't know why he was doing this but he knew deep inside that Kaname was very important to him. The pureblood was more than just a friend now and it would be like that in the future. He was afraid to be betrayed again by another pureblood but he felt that he could take that chance again. After all, what else did he have to lose?

He knew now that he was steadily growing some feelings for the pureblood. It was the first time he felt that way after the tragedy in his family and all that he had gone through. He didn't understand how Kaname could awaken the feelings he had buried in his heart to protect what was left of it. How could one person affect him like this? There was no way he could say _I love you_ that easily again. Not since he learned that those three little words were so full of precious feelings. But then, it was partially the truth wasn't it? He somehow began to love Kaname.

_What will lie for me out there, if I take a step forward? It might be something I'll come to bitterly regret. But even so, I want to be able to accept it. To take the chance once again,_ Zero thought seriously as he recounted everything he had been through. The two then stepped away from each other.

"Why are you doing this, Kaname?" Zero asked in a quiet tone. "Why do you have to bother yourself with someone like me?" he added with a hint of pain that Kaname hated the hunter to feel.

Kaname reached out and put his hand on Zero's chin, forcing the hunter to look at him.

"It's because you made me care about you more than anyone else in the world," Kaname answered in a tender and serious tone.

Kaname then reached out to kiss the hunter on the lips, and thought surprised was evident on the hunter's body, Zero let him continue. Soft, warm, he loved Zero, a partner, a friend, an ex-human, a hunter. Despite all that Zero was, he loved the silver haired young man. This might be all they ever had, this moment, this kiss, his love. So he gave into it, aware that his fangs were lengthening, that by now his eyes were glowing. Hunger, want, and desire waged their own war inside of him. But he controlled his vampiric nature; he won over it, prevailing as he finished the kiss and took Zero's hand.

"If I have to die a thousand deaths… I will save you," he promised once again. "It doesn't matter what we both feel right now. I am willing to wait for you," he added in a whisper. Zero gave his fingers a gentle squeeze, and the sweetness of the gesture nearly broke his heart. He wished that this happiness would last and that someday his feelings would reach the hunter and be answered. For now, he was satisfied with this chaste kiss and being this close to Zero.

_When would I finally have the chance to call you mine? To hear you tell me that you could love me as well…_

**-chapter 7 end-**


	8. friends and enemies

_Thank you very much for all of those who've kindly reviewed the last chapter and I'm very happy that everyone liked how that turned out. =) I've been busy with my college exams lately so I wasn't able to put up this chapter as soon as I would've wanted. The good thing was that I've managed to write this during some free times I had and I hope that you guys would like this chapter as well. _

_Please Read and Review… =) _

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**Chapter 8 – Friends and Enemies**

In the silence, countless of flower petals were dancing through the night.

Countless numbers of them, not changing one bit in all of the years he had been in this place. It reminded him so much of winter, of those snowflakes falling through the blue skies. Despite the mysterious beauty of the surroundings, there was only one thing that kept on showing in the forefront of his mind.

The image of that one person who he had loved and lost will forever be burned deep inside his very soul. He knew that his revenge had not yet been fulfilled. He was still far from it but not anymore. He would deliver that final judgment. He needed that power so that the one who would break this long silence…

Would be him…

The young man was looking at an empty desk from the doorway of a certain classroom. The one he had visited on so many occasions, hoping to catch a glimpse of his special person. But now, there was no one there to visit. She was gone forever. She was not coming back no matter how hard he wished for her to be beside him once again. He closed his eyes in pain and loneliness, knowing that the only thing he had left of her was these memories of the time they were together. But even those happy memories brought sadness into his heavy heart.

He was aware that it was those people's damn fault that she died. If none of them existed, this kind of thing wouldn't happen in the first place. She would still be here with him and he would have the chance to her about his feelings. To say to her how much he loved and cherished her. How much he yearned to finally have her in his arms.

But those chances were long gone and there was no respite whatsoever.

He had allowed the hatred and anger to consume his shattered heart. He would never forgive those people for what they had done to her. Everyone involved in her death would pay dearly and he would relish every bit of his revenge. He took one last glance at her desk, imagining his beloved person sitting there and smiling at him warmly. All of a sudden, a tear slipped from his eyes and he walked away without looking back.

_I'm going to make them pay for everything,_ he thought vehemently. _I'll send each and every one of them to hell, just watch me._

It was time to end this little act once and for all. Even if he had to sell his soul to devil himself and let insanity consume him for all of eternity, he would give it all away. He would become a grimoire holder and monster for her sake…

It was already midnight according to the academy's clock tower and the whole place was quiet and peaceful. He watched a young girl from the shadows before he turned away; in his hand he held a battered old book with a rusted lock.

The darkness loomed closer and the cold winds that night didn't bother the young girl one bit. She was only focused on what was in front of her, the vast nothingness of the view from the top. Only a few people were on the grounds that night and mostly everyone else was back at the dorms, doing their own respective chores and activities before going to sleep. No one saw her and she was glad of that. At least, no one would be able to stop her.

The young girl sauntered silently up through the stairs that same night, her bare feet were firm and steady. There was no shred of hesitation in her movements. It was as if she had a purpose, a direction to go to. Yet her face was blank, it was like she wasn't there at all. She was devoid of any sort of emotion except for the small smile on her face. That same smile that graced her features didn't even seem to reach her eyes.

Within a few minutes, she was by the rooftop of the academy building where she studied and had taken residence in. The wind picked up suddenly and her school uniform billowed as she continued to walk to the edge of the roof. The smile was still present even as she gazed through the outline of the busy school grounds below.

She felt so calm and so detached from this world. As if she was meant to be free of the guilt and self-loathing she had faced ever since that incident. She didn't mean for things to end up that way and everyday she had to face the burden of her sin. Ever since that day, she had to carry that load with her, knowing that what they did had ended up being a mistake all along.

It was very hard.

The burden of her sin was so heavy and suffocating. Everything had been fine a few days before but ever since she heard that voice, she realized that there was no use pretending. Her group's fun had resulted in a terrible price. The price of a human life.

Some of her friends were unfair in her opinion. None of them bothered to even help her when she needed them the most. Only that voice gave her solace from the pain. Why did the two members of the group relieve themselves of their burden that easily? She had thought that all of them were supposed to be in it together. They alone knew the truth to that incident so why did they run away from that so easily.

"_It doesn't matter."_

She would be joining them soon. Maybe, all of them would be together in this. The voice told her that the others would follow her footsteps soon. It led her to this building and she followed without any hesitation. It was so calming listening to it and the more it talked to her, the less she cared about anything else.

Everything had fit exactly into place at this moment. She wondered why she had been so afraid at first. She didn't think that listening to that voice would give her such peace. Did the others feel the same way as she? She smiled as she felt the pull of freedom reaching out to her. Nothing mattered anymore to her. After all, she would be free as well. Free from everything. Just like those birds flying the sky she had watched from afar.

"I am finally free," she whispered in a soft tone as she stood at the edge of the building. She smiled as she took one last glance backwards. Finally, she felt nothing around her as she plunged towards the freedom she had been looking for.

The nearby people who stayed up late and was now leaving the academy grounds gasped and screamed hysterically as they saw her body fall down from the roof of the six-floored building in a sickening crunch. Blood spewed everywhere and from afar, the mysterious man smiled at the grotesque view. The crimson color was beautiful in his eyes. The blood that soaked her broken body was such a sight and its color decorated the pavement like a canvas painting.

He heard the distant shouts and the sirens of an ambulance and police car. The place was soon swarmed by people and he decided it was best to disappear from sight once again. He fingered the burning mark of the contract in his hand. The sign of the Fool Arcana from the tarot deck. How ironic was it that he represented the beginning of everything.

He knew that once the sun rises up high in the sky, everyone would once again take notice of this incident. It had been the talk of the town and the news of the recent string of suicides had sent everyone in a fit of frenzy. There were a lot of speculations but no one had gotten even close to the truth. He wondered when the librarians would make their move. It certainly is unusual for all of the suicide victims to have so many similarities. One is that they were close friends. Two is that they go the same school. And the last is their involvement to an incident long ago.

He watched from afar as the witnesses seemed to watch the sight with disbelief and fright, they gazed at the academy uniform was dyed in a bright shade of crimson.

"This is my cursed power, the one power I attained just for your sake," a stranger whispered from the shadows. "This is only the beginning of my revenge. I would never allow anyone especially librarians stand in my way no matter what..."

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Shizuka Hiou walked into a dim antechamber that early morning, then through an open arch into a low-ceilinged room, rich with cushioned chairs and piles of beaded pillows like a sultan's harem. The fire in the hearth was too strong, the room hot and smoky. Plates of pastries and an open bottle of wine were laid out on the table. Music filtered down from an upper room and the air was scented with incense and burning candles. A white bearskin rug lay in front of a cabinet covered with holy icons, including a cross made of crystal, an incongruous arrangement. The den was expensively decorated, but an underground room was not the sort of place one would expect to meet with prominent and important individuals.

She understood though that it was the perfect hiding and meeting place for all the members of the Order of the Lost Souls. No one would suspect that their greatest enemies were just living right around the corner and had complete access to every available information there was about the different libraries scattered around the globe. Yes, this was the perfect headquarters.

The Central Library.

The one library in charge of all those libraries out there was the one feeding the enemy information to destroy them. How ironic it was that the one who those others sought for guidance was the one leading them to their doom. Right from the very beginning, Shizuka thought that the librarians were fighting a losing battle. Central Library worked for the Order all because of the power the organization would provide the moment that the twelve Arcanas were gathered. The ultimate power to change the world. The Final Code.

She held no desire for such things and despite being part of the Order herself; she held no loyalty to their leader and his cause. She did things for her own interests and nothing more. She wouldn't hesitate to turn on them when the moment came but for now she was willing to play along. To be a pawn to this useless power struggle. To be a good little soldier who follows pathetic orders.

She needed only one thing in this world.

_Zero Kiryuu._

She would do anything to have him back in her arms once again and she wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone and everyone who stood in her way. It was already four years and she realized that if she didn't get to him soon, Zero would die and all hopes of her future would be extinguished along with him. And she couldn't let that happen. She needed him as much as he needed her.

She hated the fact that he was too well-guarded and those damned librarians from Dark Woods Library had been getting in her way on too many occasions. He was so close yet so far away from her at the same time.

She had another problem at hand.

That damned pureblood brat.

She seethed at the memory of their meeting. Who was that vampire to Zero and why did it feel as if he was too close to the person she loved? She didn't want to imagine what there was between _her_ Zero and that Kaname Kuran. She felt jealous of the fact that others could be with him and yet she cannot. She knew how childish she was acting but she couldn't help it. The person she wanted to be with was not here with her and it left an obvious hole in her heart. The need to possess Zero was so strong that she felt that she would burst from the feeling alone.

"What brings you to these parts, Shizuka?" a deep, baritone voice inquired all of a sudden and Shizuka broke from her private thoughts to face a man in his late twenties holding a glass of blood wine. "I was under the impression that you hated being here in our company despite the fact that we work together," he added with much amusement.

Shizuka wanted nothing more than to bash this man's head in. Instead she settled by remaining neutral. "Believe me, I would rather be anywhere else than here, Rido Kuran," she answered coldly as she stood in front of the man.

"I see," Rido said with an odd glint in his eyes. As though he knew something that she did not. "If you're here, then it must mean that you have something important to tell me," he continued in the same deep voice that entranced other humans and lower level vampires into submission. For her, it only served to irritate her more.

"Your nephew," Shizuka said simply.

"Care to elaborate?"

"I thought that you would deal with your nephew as soon as possible," Shizuka told him in an icy tone. "Yet it seems that you're more content on lounging around in this place than taking necessary actions in order to achieve _our_ goals," she continued in the same tone.

Rido gazed at her questioningly. "What have my nephew done to anger you so, my mad blooming princess?" he asked curiously.

"He dared to lay his filthy hands on what is _mine_! Do you understand? He thinks that he could take Zero away from me!" Shizuka shouted in fury as she lost control of her temper. A glass shattered from the force of her aura but the other pureblood remained unfazed by the outburst. He chose to remain quiet as Shizuka forced herself to calm down. After a few moments, the tension in the air settled down considerably.

"The young hunter working for the Dark Woods Library?" Rido asked as he took a sip from the glass in his hands.

"Who else would I talk about?" Shizuka answered back in a clipped tone.

Rido smiled with amusement. "It seems that my nephew is starting to make a move. I look forward to seeing what he has planned for me," he said silkily. "But if it makes you feel better, you can do anything you wish with Kaname. I do not understand why you need to tell me all of this," he added as he regarded the female pureblood.

Shizuka locked gazes with him. "Unlike you, I do not take other people's prey without any permission," she replied firmly and the other pureblood laughed lightly at her response. "I still haven't forgotten what you did to that librarian, Narumi. He was my target after all and you had no right whatsoever to do that."

"He was the one who walked right into me and I was only defending myself against hostile attacks," Rido answered without missing a beat. "I did go overboard in torturing him for information but up until the very end, that librarian didn't say a thing. I never pegged librarians to be that loyal to their own cause," he added in amusement.

"They are different from us," Shizuka answered. "The librarians are guided by human ideals despite the fact that some of them aren't normal at all."

"Hmm… You do have a point there," Rido considered as he placed the wine glass on the side table. "Back to the matter at hand, what does that librarian you are obsessing about have?" he asked as he gazed at Shizuka who narrowed her eyes at him. "Was it his blood? His body? Or everything about him? Maybe I should try finding out for myself," he added in calm tone of voice.

The wine glass on the table shattered instantly. "If you know what is good for you, I suggest that you stay away from Zero," Shizuka said coldly. "Despite being on the Order, I would not hesitate to tear you apart if you ever lay your hands on him," she threatened as she strode out of the room.

The sound of bells echoed amidst Rido's soft laughter.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Several problems have cropped up since his active return on duty in the Dark Woods Library and Zero Kiryuu didn't know which one to address first. The Order of the Lost Souls had been more troublesome lately and the missions had become more dangerous that Cross deemed it proper for librarians to avoid taking solo missions as much as possible. There were also no leads to Narumi's death. Another thing is Shizuka Hiou's appearance and his health problems. All in all, it had been a pretty crappy week in his opinion.

But his worst problem was in the form of a pureblood named Kaname Kuran.

He could not believe that it happened only a week ago and despite the length of time, he found that he could still turn red from the damned memory. He knew that his partner meant well and he was glad that Kaname comforted all of his inner turmoil that time. But really… the kiss was a bit over the top. How was he supposed to react to that? He was already confused with his own emotions and now, that little action was making things more difficult for him.

How the hell did it come to that?

He didn't know why he allowed the pureblood to kiss him that time and he also didn't know why he acted the way he did. It was very unlike him and thinking about it made him pissed off for some reason. He decided to blame Kaname for all of this since blaming the pureblood seemed to ease his frayed nerves.

Frankly, he didn't know what to do anymore.

What would he do with his partner's feelings? Could he really return them when he knew full well that he was afraid of what the future would bring? There were so many paths and possibilities and not all of them were good. He wanted to take the chance with Kaname but a part of him wanted otherwise.

Zero sighed as he sat by the windowsill and gazed at the scenery from below, taking in the surroundings of the library that afternoon. It wouldn't do him any good if he kept on worrying about those things and besides, Kaname already told him that he was willing to wait. Maybe later on, he would come to terms with his own feelings. Right now, there were more important issues to deal with.

A sudden and gentle knock on his door brought him out of his reverie and Lilianne Meitzen walked inside without waiting for a response. He wasn't the least bit offended since she usually did those things since way back. It was a daily routine that happened when she started as a librarian all those years ago and appointed herself as his personal bodyguard even though he insisted that he had no need for such.

She entered the room with a tray of snacks and tea that Zero was sure she prepared herself. He saw that despite the problems that they were currently facing, Lilianne still had that gentle smile present in her features. She carefully placed the tray in the side of the coffee table and proceeded to arrange it for the afternoon tea.

"Are you feeling well now, Zero-sama?" Lilianne asked politely as soon as she finished with her self-imposed task and sat on one of the chairs nearby. "I thought it would do you good to have some company this afternoon," she added cheerfully.

"I'm fine, Lilianne. No need to worry," Zero replied as he also took a seat. "What are we having today?" he asked as Lilianne poured him a cup of tea.

"Rose Hip Tea. It has a very relaxing scent compared to the other teas I have and I baked these assorted cookies to go along with it," Lilianne told him proudly. She had always loved baking and she was glad that she could do it to her heart's content here in the library. As Zero's retainer, she made it her duty to bring him tea in the afternoon whenever both of them had free time in their hands.

_Once I had a place I could go back to, I knew that I became stronger. When I had nothing, I thought that I would be stronger since I wouldn't have anything to lose. I realized just then how weak and alone it made me feel._

"You seem to be staring off into space with a weird expression on your face lately," Zero observed with a hint of amusement in his voice. He placed the cup at the table and regarded Lilianne who turned red at the observation. "I don't think I'm the only one who noticed that," he added afterwards.

"I very much hope Kaito didn't notice anything weird," Lilianne mumbled to herself and if Zero heard it, he didn't say anything regarding that. "I've been thinking about the past and how lucky I am to be here," she answered truthfully. Knowing that she couldn't stomach hiding things from the person who saved her, she decided that being honest would be the best choice. "Anyway, do you still remember that promise I had?" she asked quietly as she shifted her gaze to Zero.

"Of course I do," Zero said indifferently. "You had to say those words in the most unique and embarrassing manner," he added and Lilianne merely laughed at the comment.

_Zero was sitting in front of the table with a book propped open in his hands. He was busy looking up some information about a particular grimoire while Lilianne was right behind him making some of her famous tea. _

_Lilianne had the job as librarian for only a few days but somehow, she was quite a fast learner and she adapted well. It was as if she had been doing the job for so many years. Right now, she was busy trying to serve Zero in anyway possible. He was adamant in telling her that there was no need for such things but she can be stubborn when she wanted to be._

_Since her stay, she had met a lot of different people and all of them accepted her as part of this mismatched family. It was fun and she realized that Zero was telling the truth the first time they met. She really did find a home in the Dark Woods Library._

"_Zero-sama, are you afraid of being betrayed by someone?" Lilianne asked as she set a cup of tea in front of him. "I heard from Yagari that there also librarians who commit such an act of treason."_

_There was a bout of silence for a while. "I have been betrayed once but I am certain that I would not want a thing to happen again," Zero answered seriously as he closed the book he was reading to gaze indifferently at Lilianne with his silver amethyst eyes. "I do know that no matter what will happen, no matter who is going to betray me in the future, I would live with it," he continued in the same tone of voice._

"_But won't that be hard?"_

"_Yes, it may be hurt quite a lot. But there is no point in thinking too much about it," Zero replied. "Things just happen and there is really nothing we can do about it," he added as he looked at the open window._

_Lilianne saw something in those eyes, something she couldn't quite define at the moment. Without hesitation, she kneeled in front of Zero, like someone making a pledge of loyalty to their master._

"_What are you doing, Lilianne?" Zero asked questioningly._

_Lilianne turned beet red from embarrassment. "This is how witches pledge their loyalty," she answered hurriedly. "Please don't make me anymore embarrassed than I already am, Zero-sama," she added._

_Zero didn't give her a reply and she sucked in her breath before continuing. "I know that tomorrow's things are not today to understand. But know this, Zero-sama, that no matter what will happen, I will always stay by your side," Lilianne said seriously as her blue eyes seemed to glow with intensity. "I know your darkness and you know my weakness. It is not the light but the shadows that got us connected. Therefore, no matter how much time had passed, I vow to you that I will always remain loyal to you," she continued as she bowed low and placed her right hand above her heart. "I would never betray you and I would hurt those who dare to wrong you," she concluded._

"_Why do you need to go to such lengths, Lilianne?" Zero asked gently as he motioned for the young woman to stand up._

"_Because you are my master forever, Zero-sama," Lilianne answered simply._

"_You know that there is no such thing as eternity."_

"_I am aware of that but I would make sure that my vow to you will stay true for eternity."_

She smiled a little at that reflection and vaguely thought that indeed a lot of things had happened over the years. Of course, there were still mysteries left unanswered but they might as well value what the present had instead of always brooding about an uncertain future. There were still time left in this long day and Lilianne wondered if she could find something interesting to do for today. She knew that something happened between Zero and Kaname. Maybe she could ask about it later on.

Meanwhile, Zero was preoccupied with his previous thoughts. His thoughts about himself and Kaname Kuran.

What happened that night was proof of how important that pureblood was to him. No one else was able to force him to reveal his deep-seated emotions. Not even Lilianne or Yuuki were able to see that side of him. Despite his reasoning that Kaname cut his ties with him, the pureblood didn't do that and instead promised him something that made him strangely happy. That determination to be with him warmed his heart.

No one had ever said those things to him before. Not after he became a vampire. He was so used to hiding himself, to pretend to be someone he was not. He was used to being hated by others who knew his true nature. He was also used to being pushed away. But when Kaname found out the truth, he didn't leave like so many others had done before. Even after what he did, the pureblood still stuck with him.

Kaname trusted him. Always. The pureblood gave him the feeling that he would be accepted no matter whom he was or who he turned out to be. Kaname embraced both his hunter and vampire natures. At first, he thought of him as a good friend, a reliable ally. But everything felt different the last time they went on that mission. Ever since Kaname uttered those words, his feelings began to shift.

"_Don't think for one second that you can disappear after all that we've been through. I'm not afraid of suffering and I know that whatever it is I would face, I would not lose," Kaname replied in a determined tone. "You're an important person for me so I've decided some time ago that I would never let you go anywhere. I am selfish and I know that. But I am only doing this because I want to," he continued in a much gentler tone. _

"_It's because you made me care about you more than anyone else in the world," Kaname answered in a tender and serious tone._

In that one moment, his confusion became apparent to him. His feelings weren't just plain friendship or gratitude. It was so much more. He thought at that time that he was slowly growing to like Kaname more than anyone else. It was a frightening thought that one person could make him feel that way. But surprisingly, he didn't regret anything. Being with Kaname had been the most normal thing in the world and he didn't want to lose that sense of normalcy.

In his life, filled with so many contradictions, his relationship with the pureblood was the only thing that felt right. When they embraced on so many occasions, the warmth he felt was very different from anything he ever felt before. With Kaname, he could hope and look forward to the future. And when Kaname kissed him, he found that he quite liked that feeling. He knew then that Kaname was someone special for him. He only hoped that someday, he would know what to do with the pureblood's heart. That one day he might give his own without any fear of betrayal.

_Maybe one day, I'll tell you my answer…_

"Did you receive a new mission, Zero-sama?" Lilianne inquired after a while. Her eyes drawn to the folder on top of the study desk.

Zero followed her gaze. "Cross handed that to me a few days ago. It's about the incidents at the Divine Light Academy."

"The school where those suicides took place?"

"There were speculations that a grimoire was involved and not an ordinary one as well," Zero explained. "It was highly believed that an Arcana was used in that school and Cross wanted me and Kaname to investigate," he continued.

"That is so cool. I always wanted to have a mission like this," Lilianne exclaimed. "Are you guys going to go undercover or something?" she asked hurriedly.

Zero considered the question for a moment. "I think so. Why'd you ask?"

"Well, I had this moment when I imagined Zero-sama and Kaname-san as student teachers," Lilianne replied honestly.

"You're being weirder than usual, Lilianne," Zero told her bluntly.

"If the world was restrained by common sense, life wouldn't be fun," Lilianne said with a bright smile. "That is why I think that Zero-sama should also do things that I think he'd enjoy," she continued with an earnest look in her features.

"You're point being?" Zero asked shortly as he kept his gaze outside.

Her expression brightened considerably. "You should spend more time with Kaname-san. I noticed that whenever he's around, you seem to be enjoying yourself more," Lilianne said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. That remark brought Zero's gaze on her fixedly and she knew that she had hit a bull's eye there. She resisted the childish urge to burst into a fit of giggles as her master's silver amethyst eyes narrowed at that comment.

"Why is every single time we talk about something, my own and Kaname's name always pops out of your mouth?" Zero asked pointedly as he continued glaring at Lilianne. He already knew that it was useless since the young woman was practically immune to feelings of hostility from other people.

"For one thing, you seem to be interested in Kaname-san and though no one noticed it, I did," Lilianne said as she recounted things. "Another is that you care about him more than the others and there is only a little distance between you and him. Mostly that's your fault," she added and Zero only gazed at her questioningly. "Plus, don't tell me you haven't noticed what he really feels about you? You're the most perceptive person I know in this library," she concluded and she always smirked in triumph as she watched him sigh in defeat.

_I won't let you run away from this issue, Zero-sama…_

Zero sighed as his mine recounted that night. "I really can't hide anything from you, can't I?" he asked and Lilianne only smiled in response. "I… I know what he feels about me and I would be a complete idiot if I never noticed it after all that we've been through. His actions were sincere and though he irritates me from time to time, I couldn't help but be interested about him," he said softly.

"Now that you know what he feels for you, what about you, Zero-sama?" Lilianne said with apprehension as she waited for Zero's answer. She knew that the answer now would definitely affect everything that would happen from now on. She was aware right from the beginning that Kaname was a good person and that he matched her master perfectly. If there was a chance that her master was in love with the pureblood, then things would be so much better.

He didn't answer at first, and Lilianne's heart sank. "To tell you the truth, I… I care about Kaname more than anyone else I've ever met. The thought frightens me from time to time but I couldn't help it," Zero said gently. "Every word and every action he showed me made me realize that he is the closest person to me right now. I don't know if what I feel is love but I know that I don't want to know what it feels like to lose him," he concluded seriously.

He looked at Lilianne and noticed her wide grin. Did she have to be so happy with the answer? And what is with that knowing look?

"I'm surprised at your answer, Zero-sama. I never pegged you to be an emotional type of person. Kaito always tells me that you're emotionally retarded."

"That asshole."

"Well, it just goes to show that love is blind. Never expected that a pureblood would make you this emotional."

Lilianne then caught the slightest glimmer of a smile from her master.

"Love doesn't make you blind. On the contrary, you're very, very aware of everything about the one you truly care about, whether you know it from what your eyes tell you or your heart. So no, love doesn't make you blind. It paralyzes you until you can't breathe or run away from it."

"Is that from experience?" she asked with curiosity.

"Who knows?"

"Well, what are you going to do now? Are you going to be honest with Kaname-san?"

"I'm not going to do anything, Lilianne. It's better for things to stay this way for now."

"Oh well," Lilianne said with a heavy sigh. "There is always next time though, Zero-sama," she continued with amusement while she dodged a flying cushion thrown by her master. She laughed heartily as she strode out of the room, careful to avoid another projectile heading in her direction. She waved him a swift goodbye before closing the door in a flash.

"You're practically hopeless, Lilianne Meitzen," Zero said dispassionately as he rubbed his temples before standing up to retrieve the fallen cushions. He couldn't help the feeling of déjà vu at his friend's antics which somehow reminded him a bit of Head Librarian Cross. Despite the confusing thoughts from earlier, his mood certainly improved with Lilianne's help. His phone rang suddenly and he stared at the message on the screen.

_It looks like today is going to be quite something, _he thought as he went back to his seat. _I wonder what Kaname's been up to…_

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Zero stood up and picked up his jacket from the nearby chair before heading out of the door. He only remembered that he promised Yuuki that he would accompany her into town today. He had almost forgotten had she not texted him a few minutes ago to remind him of that promise. He called his partner as well to ask if he would like to come and Kaname told him that he was already in town and maybe they could meet up later.

He met up with Yuuki and Sayori by the lobby and together they headed out into the nearby town.

The rest of the day turned out to be uneventful and the three of them went from place to place. Yuuki checked the list that Head Librarian Cross gave her and crossed out the finished tasks. Sayori later on told them that they should go eat somewhere since it was pretty close to dinner time and she knew that her best friend tended to be grumpy when she was hungry. The young woman decided to take them to a ramen shop down the corner of the street.

As they ate, they talked about some insignificant topics like the people they met at the library, what they would do with their next day-off. Zero realized later on that the two girls were purposely trying to steer clear of the topic regarding their enemies. Everything seemed to be going well today but Zero felt something was going to happen soon. He didn't show anything in his face since he didn't want to worry anyone.

They finished with their meal and decided to head back to the library since their errands were practically finished. As soon as Zero stepped outside the building, he felt an expansion caused by a spell. He watched the worried looks sent by Yuuki to him. He then asked the two to head back immediately while he dealt with the problem. He assured Yuuki that he would be careful before he left in the direction of the spell.

A few minutes later, he arrived at an empty and quiet park. There were no people about but he knew that it was caused by the foreign spell and whatever it was, he was sure that it wouldn't affect the real world. The people were all right and he knew that after this is over, no one would notice a thing.

"Hello there, Zero," Maria said as she appeared from out of nowhere. "It's been a surprise to see you here of all places," she added in a cheerful manner. She reached out for him but Zero backed away on impulse. "Is there something wrong?" she asked questioningly.

"You're not her. There is no use pretending to be Maria," Zero said seriously as he glared at the young girl in front of him. It was true that it was Maria in front of him but the aura and presence felt different from Maria's usual ones. On the contrary, the aura felt so familiar to him. The ones that haunted his nightmares for a long time. It was the same one as Shizuka Hiou's.

Maria laughed in response and Zero felt a sudden chill in the surroundings. He had never felt like this in all of the years he had been working as a librarian. He didn't think that coming face to face with the woman who took everything away from him would make him feel this way. He didn't want to admit that he was a bit afraid.

There was a strong gust of wind and sakura petals floated in all directions. Zero raised his arms to guard his eyes from the dust and when he lowered them, he didn't see Maria anymore. The person standing there was the one pureblood he didn't want to meet again. He turned his attention to the woman in front of him. She wasn't wearing the kimono this time. Right now, she wore a plunging white jacket and tight-fitting silver tube over white pants and silver sandals with four-inch heels. Her eyes were the same bright crimson and her silvery-white hair was drawn in a high ponytail. She had her eyes trained on him and there was that same soft smile in her features.

Though there was a slight fear in his whole being, he his it well behind his mask of indifference. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing how much she had affected him. He kept his calm and stared at her unflinchingly. She moved to stop in front of him but other than that, she kept her distance. He didn't let his guard down for a second and wondered what she would try to do now.

"It has been a long time hasn't it, my dear Zero?" Shizuka said softly as she fixed her crimson gaze at him.

"What have you done to the real Maria Kurenai?" Zero asked.

"There is no need for worry," Shizuka answered. "She is safe and is currently asleep. She would wake up in a few hours. I only put her to sleep since I needed to move around this town pretending to be her," she explained. "It's been a real pleasure to say you face to face after all these years," she said afterwards as she stood in front of him and toyed with the ring on her finger.

He gave her an icy glare. "I can't say the same to you after all that you've done," he said coldly.

"It doesn't matter what you feel right now," Shizuka said softly. "That can all change in due time. I love you, Zero, and I hope that one day you'll feel the same for me," she said in a sad tone. "Why can't we go back to that time again, Zero?" she asked desperately.

"You already know the answer to that," Zero answered tonelessly. "After everything that happened, do you really think that it is still possible?"

"It could if we wanted to."

"I can never go back anymore. It is too late and I have no intention on bringing up a past that has long been over," Zero replied. "There is no going back ever. Not now, not in the future," he continued impassively as he brought his hand to the inside of his jacket where he held his gun. He had no intention of doing anything until his sire made the first move.

Her light crimson colored eyes went wide with hurt, and then her face hardened. "I see," Shizuka said. "If that is the case, then I think starting over would be another option," she added to herself. "If all of these memories between us stand in the way, wouldn't it be better to make them disappear and start over from scratch?" she said as she moved forward a couple of steps and he backed away on instinct. He wondered what on earth she was planning on doing.

Zero kept his gaze trained on Shizuka as he tried to gather his thoughts and think of a plan to get out of this situation. He wasn't sure if he was going to win against her like this. He was confident in his abilities as a hunter but she was a pureblood vampire. The results could favor either of them and Yagari had told him once not to take such a risk. It wasn't going to be easy getting away from her and he needed to be careful not to make a mistake that would cost him dearly.

"No matter how many years have passed, there is no way I could forget about you, my dear Zero. You have changed since the last time I saw you," Shizuka said wistfully as she approached him. She saw that he was no longer the child she left that night. "I have been waiting for a long time for this moment. Come with me, Zero. Help me with my cause," she continued but she sighed as Zero pointed Bloody Rose at her and halted her advance. "What a difficult child," she uttered as Zero cocked the hammer of the gun which told her clearly that he was serious in shooting her.

"Don't come anymore closer, Shizuka Hiou," Zero said seriously as he kept Bloody Rose aimed at her heart.

She sighed as she moved a couple of steps back and resisted the urge to fight the young hunter. She didn't want to hurt him more than necessary and risk herself to be hated by him more.

"You have a Kuran as your partner, haven't you? Another pureblood just like me," Shizuka said in contemplation. "However, I am your sire. I created you and you exist only to be with me, Zero. He doesn't deserve to be with you and you are destined to join forces with me," she continued as she extended her hand to Zero and beckoned him to come to her. She felt disappointment when he didn't lower his gun and didn't take her hand.

"I won't go with you," Zero said determinedly as he fired his gun suddenly but Shizuka avoided it easily with vampire speed. He whipped around as she reappeared behind him and he leveled the gun to her once again. "I'd rather die than join forces with the Order of Lost Souls," he added as he gazed at the symbol of an eye embedded on the ring on Shizuka's finger.

"You leave me little choice. I will have to take you by force if necessary," Shizuka said seriously as she extended her hand forward and though Zero wanted to move away. He found that his body wouldn't move at all. It was as if all of his limbs were paralyzed and he was rooted to the spot. "I've waited a long time for this day," she whispered.

Zero could only gaze helplessly and angrily as Shizuka did whatever she planned, he had forgotten how much control this pureblood had against him. No matter how hard he tried to force his body to move, nothing happened. He could only witness what was happening in front of him but he couldn't do a thing about it.

'_Even if I have to die a thousand deaths, I will find a way to save you…'_

He remembered Kaname's promise to him and the weak part of him clung to the hope that his partner was not going to break that. Still, the rational part of him told him that Kaname wasn't going to be able to help him this time. As his sire moved closer to him, his mind could only call out one word.

_Kaname!_

Before Shizuka could touch him, a hand appeared out of nowhere and enclosed itself around Shizuka's wrist tightly. Zero heard a hiss of anger coming from his sire and before he could guess what happened, he heard a familiar voice. One voice that made his eyes widen in surprise and relief to spread through his body.

"What do you think you are doing, Shizuka Hiou?" Kaname said angrily as he tightened his hold on Shizuka's wrist. "I already told you once to stay the hell away from Zero," he added as his garnet colored eyes shone to a bright crimson but Shizuka did not shrink from the hard gaze.

Zero felt himself being pulled backwards and onto Kaname's warm chest, he would've blushed from the contact had the situation had been different. His hunter senses caught the tension of the powerful auras in the air and had he not been trained for this kind of things he was sure that he wouldn't be able to stand being between the two purebloods.

"She didn't do anything else, did she?" Kaname whispered behind Zero as he tried to control his breathing. He was almost too late and he feared what would've happened had he been slow for even a second.

"You came at the right time, Kaname," Zero replied in a soft voice as he gazed at the enemy in front of him. Even if he didn't look, he knew that the pureblood he cared about was right behind him.

Kaname leaned close to the hunter, his voice soft, and his breath warm on Zero's ear. "Before I let anything happen to you, I would die first."

Zero knew instantly that Kaname would not leave without fighting Shizuka and he knew that he wouldn't be able to stop the battle that would soon take place. He watched as his sire's own eyes glowed crimson in anger. Yet he believed that they would win this battle, that he would be free from this curse once and for all.

_I watched as if I were a spectator of my own life, as my heart struggled vainly not to allow itself to be taken by a pureblood who didn't belong to my world,_ Zero thought with a hint of sadness as he stood in front of Kaname, not moving an inch from his position. _I couldn't help but admit that my own reason lost the battle, and all I could do was surrender and accept that I was truly in love with him._

**-chapter 8 end-**_  
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	9. light and shadow

_Thank you once again to everyone who has reviewed the last chapter I've posted! =) I would also like to show my appreciation to those who added this story to their favorites and alerts list. I've still got a long way before the end so lots of things are still bound to happen. This chapter is going to focus a lot on Zero and Kaname since last chapter barely had any. =)_

_Anyway, here's another chapter to Final Code Arcana._

_Please Read and Review…  
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**Chapter 9 – Light and Shadow**

Kaname Kuran held his partner tightly to him as he glared at Shizuka Hiou with intense hatred. The sight of that woman reaching out to Zero Kiryuu sent him in a rage he never knew was possible for him. He even noticed from his partner's body language how much he loathed and feared being face to face with the woman who ruined his life. "Let me take care of this for you, Zero," he whispered to the hunter's ear as he stepped forward and shielded Zero from Shizuka's view. He would never let her touch or hurt Zero ever again.

He never really expected to be in this kind of situation so soon but it couldn't be helped. He had been walking around town just a few moments ago picking up some supplies he needed back at the library when he felt a sudden spike of two familiar auras nearby. One was from his beloved partner and the other was from the person he least expected to find in this place. Thinking of the worst possible scenario had him rushing to this location.

It was a good decision on his part since he came right on time. He didn't want to think about what would have happened had he not come. He almost broke his promise to Zero and that pissed him off pretty badly. It took a lot of his willpower to keep himself calm and collected on the surface. It wouldn't do him any good to show his enemy any weaknesses that could be used against him. His raging emotions wouldn't help him or his partner as well.

"Like last time, you dare to stand in my way," Shizuka said seriously as she gazed at Kaname with equal hatred. "Tell me, are you really that eager to die by my hands?" she asked as her eyes glowed brighter and her aura flared dangerously.

Kaname's calm expression didn't waver and he kept his gaze focused on Shizuka. "I have no intention in dying this day or in the future. Not when I have a promise to keep," he replied instantly. "Therefore, I should warn you beforehand that I am not going to allow myself to lose to you in this battle," he added in a deathly cold voice.

The area around them was filled with apprehension as they eyed each other with something akin to revulsion and anger. Stormy garnet colored eyes glared at light crimson ones who seemed to share the same sentiment.

"Such confidence coming from a mere child like you," Shizuka said mockingly as she played with a dagger she brought out and gazed at Kaname with hostility as pure and concentrated as acid. This young pureblood had been quite troublesome and always seemed to stand in her way. She chanced a glance at Zero and saw that the hunter was also preparing for a battle. Two against one. "How pointless. No one will be able to identify what you are once I'm through with you," she continued in a venomous tone as she held the dagger in some form of stance that she knew the hunter was familiar with. Her only target was Kaname. She had already decided that she wouldn't harm Zero. After all, there were several ways to get the hunter to come with her.

Kaname let the insults pass as he thought of a way to end this fight sooner. The last thing he wanted was for his partner to relive the memories of that terrible past. But most important of all, the chance was here to help the hunter and he didn't want to waste this golden opportunity. The sooner he settled this, the better. He then pulled out his own weapon as he faced Shizuka. He settled the knife's weight so that it was evenly spread, ready to fight in a moment's notice.

The two circled for a time, making tiny feints, testing each other's reflexes. Shizuka was fast, no doubt about that; probably faster than himself, but he wouldn't let such a small detail deter him from his goal. He wouldn't lose this fight no matter what.

Shizuka sent a quick slash towards Kaname's face; it was parried away with a sharp ring of steel against steel. Kaname countered it with a thrust of his own, jabbing his own blade toward Shizuka's gut, but she turned it away easily. She then shoved her foot into Kaname's chest. But he was faster than that and he rode the force of the push while he slashed across his enemy's leg. He regained his balance as she retreated to a safe distance.

"You're faster than I thought you were," Shizuka remarked as she gazed at Kaname. The cut had only scratched her but it did leave a tear on her clothes. "It seemed that I've underestimated you," she added as an afterthought.

Kaname rushed towards her and attacked, a high thrust followed by a mid-slash. Shizuka countered them all away, and then she returned in kind, a fast combination that Kaname handled easily. It seemed that they were testing each other, probing for weaknesses. Neither of them was fighting to their full potential yet.

Nearby, someone made himself known and Zero reacted instantly as soon as he felt the foreign presence in the vicinity. His enhanced vision allowed him to see the enemy's attack and without thinking twice, he headed towards Kaname's direction. He had always hated his vampire side and he would've done anything to be human again. But this time, he was willing to accept the part of him he hated just to help his partner. Just before it reached Kaname, he managed to intercept the knife heading straight to the pureblood's back.

He held the silver knife in his left hand and glared at the coward who dared to attack his partner that way. He focused his attention to the person who appeared from out of nowhere. The young man had jet black hair and had a ring; an exact copy of the one Shizuka wore, on the hand that held a wicked-looking short sword. He was wearing a smirk as he stared at the hunter.

"Nice! I never expected librarians to be able to fight this well," the young man remarked as he sized Zero up. "Then again, you're a vampire so that's to be expected," he added. "So what do you say we have some fun, huh? Name's Kira, by the way," he remarked as he positioned himself to battle.

Kaname turned his attention to Zero as Shizuka jumped away from his attack. He watched the hunter nod at him and he knew instantly that his partner had the other new enemy covered. This was very troublesome. He never expected that another member of the Order of Lost Souls would be here. He looked away from Zero as Shizuka attacked once again.

His eyes flashed in a brighter crimson as his power detonated in a deafening explosion of white and collided with her. It blew Shizuka away, and she crashed through a large tree trunk and flew back out on the other side in a storm of leaves and splinters.

On the other hand, Zero avoided Kira's attack with ease and he reappeared behind the man using vampire speed. Kira followed his movement without wasting time and delivered a slash of his short sword as he whirled around. The attack was met with the sound of metal striking against metal. He saw in Zero's hand a silver gun and he was momentarily nonplussed at that sight.

"A vampire using an anti-vampire weapon?" Kira questioned as he held Zero's impassive gaze. It was his first time seeing something like this. It was impossible for a vampire to be able to touch a hunter weapon without repercussions. Even purebloods suffer from minor burns upon touching it. But it seemed that the vampire he was facing was different. "You're quite something, aren't you? You're definitely different from all of those weaklings I've faced before," he said with amusement as he jumped away from a kick aimed at his gut.

'_The knife is both a weapon and a shield. That is why when fighting with knives, as long as you can block the enemy's knife, you will win.'_

Zero remembered that lesson from his hunter training days and he had learned that by heart. He had found it useful as he became a librarian and fought against individuals who used weapons. He knew that Kira's dagger was coated with a powerful anti-vampire poison and he didn't fancy getting injured by such a thing. The last thing he needed was to go on a bloodlust and end up losing his fight. With that discovery, he realized that this person was a former vampire hunter as well.

He saw the surprise that flitted across Kira's face for a second when he drew out his Bloody Rose. He understood that the enemy was wondering about how a vampire like him managed to use a powerful anti-vampire weapon without suffering from any pain. He was used to such a reaction though. He had gotten the same looks along with hostility and disgust during his time as a vampire hunter at the Hunter's Association. Bloody Rose was supposed to be a gift to him by his parents when he graduated from his training and when they died; it was left in the possession of Head Librarian Cross. The gun was given back to him when he started working as a vampire hunter. It was mentioned to him by Yagari that it seemed Bloody Rose was a customized weapon that only he could use just like the katana he received from the older hunter.

In a flash, Kira sliced his short sword at Zero's throat, but the silver haired vampire instinctively ducked, surprising the enemy with his agility. Knowing that Bloody Rose was useless against a human hunter without any real bullets, he pulled out a knife from his belt. As Kira swiped his weapon down again, Zero swung his blade up, catching the enemy's blow with a clash of metal against metal once more. His enemy pushed down, hard, but the silver haired vampire held his ground, refusing to let his enemy overpower him.

Kira's foot suddenly connected with Zero's chest and slammed him into one of the large trees behind him, his back crunching against the wood. The wind rushed from the silver haired young man's lungs. Kira launched another attack before Zero could even catch his breath. There was another thrust of the sword and Zero rolled away. The weapon embedded itself into the tree and Zero took his chance to counter.

Behind Zero and Kira, Kaname and Shizuka also fought intensely.

Cuts lined Kaname's skin from Shizuka's attack earlier. He wiped the blood and watched his skin heal right before his eyes. His torn flesh wove in and out as though it were being sewn back together with an invisible needle and thread until his skin was smooth and flawless except for smears of blood.

"Not bad," Shizuka commented as her body also healed itself. She had never fought anyone on this level before and though her blood yearned for prolonging this battle, she wanted it to end before she slipped up and ended up losing.

"How nice of you," Kaname said as he struck again, this time knocking Shizuka's blade aside and punching her square in her gut. She gasped and staggered back, hands flying to her stomach.

"I see that you're not holding back this time," Shizuka said between gasps. It seemed that Kaname was breaking through her defenses by a combination of well-planned moves and reckless counter attacks. A knife fighter was supposed to be cautious and defensive, striking only when the opportunity was there. To do otherwise was inviting oneself to lose fingers. But every so often Kaname threw an attack for which she wasn't prepared for, one that simply welcomed a blade to the throat, and purely because of its audacity it overwhelmed her. Her enemy seemed to fight like a person who didn't care about his own life.

_This Kaname Kuran is serious about him as well,_ she thought suddenly.

Kaname suddenly lunged and swiped with his blade. Shizuka was taken aback by the sudden attacks, and her parry had gone sloppy; she got hit across the back of her hand for that momentary distraction. She cursed to herself and pulled back. The cut had not been deep enough to sever any nerves and her hand was still in working order. Her vampire healing would make it good as new in no time. Kaname pressed the advantage, the short blades blurring between them, echoing and clashing as they dodged and lunged, searching for a weak spot.

Just then Shizuka was distracted by a light glow in her ring. Her eyes narrowed in response as the glowing ring flickered in and out. She sighed deeply as she turned her gaze once more to Kaname. "It looks like I'll have to cut this battle short," she said seriously. "The next time, I would make sure that you would be defeated," she added as strong gusts wind enveloped her whole frame.

Before Kaname could send another one of his psychic attacks, Shizuka had vanished from sight. Leaving behind only the distant echo of bells.

At the same time, Kira sent a knife in Zero's path but the hunter avoided it with his speed before it came close to grazing him. He watched warily as Kira began to cast a charm. When the latter raised his hands, bright orange flames burst forth. Without wasting any second, Zero moved out of the way as the flames were hurled in his direction.

"You're not very talkative," Kira said as he continued his attacks. "Or are you mute? Either way, it doesn't matter to me," he added off handedly.

Zero evaded the spell as he moved backwards consecutively, not letting the flames reach him. He knew that it was a powerful charm and would no doubt burn through his flesh if it came close to him. He couldn't be sure if his vampire healing would be able to mend an injury like that in seconds and with Kaname this close, he was worried about it triggering his bloodlust. He jumped away and landed on the fence of the rooftop. He moved away again as another flame was thrown his way and he looked back to see the fence became scorched by the intense heat.

"You're a vampire hunter, aren't you?" Zero said as he glared at the dark-haired vampire hunter when he evaded the attack at the last second. "Hunters were taught to hate and despise vampires. To treat them as monsters despite the facts that humans are capable of even more cruel acts," he continued in a calm voice. "Some hunters hurt even good-hearted vampires. Treating them like trash and beings that didn't belong in this world," he added as his pain and suffering from that time was brought in the forefront of his mind. "In my point of view, you're a vermin that I have to defeat."

"So you can talk," Kira exclaimed in surprise. "Vermin, huh? I suppose so. I admit that I enjoyed killing others as much as I enjoyed living a wild life," he watched for any sign of movement from the silver haired vampire in front of him. He tried to look for any opening but he found none at the moment. He didn't want to admit it but this guy was strong. Also he was a bit unnerved by those eyes. Those deep silver eyes that seemed to see through him even through his own soul.

"I have no interest in your reasons for being a member of the Order of Lost Souls. What matters is that you dared to attack my partner," Zero said in an indifferent tone. "You're also going on a rampage and breaking the peace that everyone fought hard to maintain," he continued as Kira gazed at him and listened to his every word. "I'll teach you a lesson here you will never forget," he uttered as he glared at his enemy. He knew that his eyes were already turning crimson with his anger but he didn't care about that anymore.

"Give it your best shot, monster," Kira answered back as he watched Shizuka disappear from sight and leave him in the middle of the battle. He needed to finish this battle before the pureblood Shizuka was fighting came after him as well. He already had a hard time fighting this person and he knew that it would be troublesome if his two enemies worked together.

Kira stood back and all of a sudden, a feral smile appeared on his face. "One of this world's five major elements. The Genesis that blazes with its glory. The life nurturing blessed light. The radiant judgment that delivers punishment unto evil," he chanted as large flames appeared all around him. "Though it brings peaceful fortune, it is a fiery misfortune that pierces even the deepest abyss. Its name is fire! Its form is a sword! Show yourself through my powers, and appear upon this world in your entire splendor!" The fires scorched the surrounding area but Zero didn't seem perturbed by the sight of the towering flames. His eyes remained impassive and his posture remained calm. Suddenly, the flames began to spring upwards to form a huge ball of fire which hurtled in Zero's direction. The silver haired young man didn't move out of the way at all. "Looks like I win again," he remarked as he turned around to assist Shizuka in her battle against another pureblood.

"The fight isn't over yet," an impassive voice said from behind Kira. "Don't think for a second that you would defeat me like this."

He quickly whipped around and watched in disbelief as the flames he created with his strongest spell were blocked by a number of vines that sprung from out of nowhere. He noticed that the vines weren't ordinary ones at all. Instead, they were pure silver in color. He could not believe his eyes. There was no possible explanation for a lower level vampire to have this kind of unique ability. He managed to react in time as Zero moved with vampire speed and appeared right in front of him.

Kira deflected a kick and countered with a punch that only met with thin air. His vision registered the unique silver hair of the vampire he was currently fighting. He then felt pain tear through his senses as his enemy's knife embedded itself on his shoulder. He pulled the blade and let it clatter to the ground. He clutched the bleeding wound as he stumbled backwards.

Zero gazed impassively at his enemy as he tried to look for other ways to defeat a strong opponent. He knew that the same move wouldn't work twice. He had already revealed his vampire ability and he was sure that he wouldn't be able to catch Kira off guard once again.

Kira's face went ice cold and he smiled at Zero. "This is the best! Never expected I'll meet someone as strong as you," he remarked as he stared at his wound. "Who are you really? I've been fighting you without knowing your identity," he added.

Zero was silent for a while, and then he said, dispassionately as ever, "Zero Kiryuu."

"Its nice to know your name. I'm Kira Mcdowell," Kira said as he gazed at the ring in his finger. "I have to leave in the battle? Damn it all to hell!" he shouted as he clutched harder at his wounded side. As his frustration settle down, he gazed with amusement in his eyes at Zero. "It seems that our leader is calling for us. We'll settle this fight some other time," he said as winds gathered around him and he was slowly disappearing.

Zero couldn't let Kira escape but before he could reach the enemy, pain flared suddenly. He stopped in his tracks as it took over all of his senses. _Please don't let this be happening now,_ he thought wildly as he tried to gain control of himself. He could hear Kaname shouting for him but the sounds seemed to come from the distance.

His eyes widened in horror as he tried to take a breath but couldn't do it the way he needed to. The whole world lurched nauseatingly as his legs buckled, knees slamming to the ground. His breath escaped through clenched teeth and finally, he crumpled fully to the ground. It felt like a heavy weight was on his chest and he couldn't breathe at all.

Black spots danced across his vision as he fought to remain conscious.

The pain increased tenfold and the darkness he tried to keep at bay almost swallowed him whole. His body felt like it was on fire and every fiber of his being was screaming in protest at the feeling. He tried to shout for help but his voice would not come out. He tried to move his arms or any part of his body but they remain unresponsive from the blinding pain that settled in his being. He came to a realization that he couldn't do anything at all.

In the haze that settled on his vision for the past minute or so, he saw someone rushing to his vulnerable form. He turned his head a fraction to see the outline of his partner. He saw quite clearly the intense worry on those garnet colored orbs. He felt the pureblood pick him up and stood in one swift motion. In less than a second, the pureblood was leapt away from the park hurriedly. He wondered where Kaname was taking him or if their enemies have escaped. He didn't have time to think about it as he clenched his teeth at another wave of intense pain.

He heard the pureblood say something but he couldn't make it out what it was. He gently rested his head against Kaname's chest, listening to the pureblood's heartbeat. Kaname's hold on him seemed to tighten.

The pain in that settled in his head as well was suddenly blinding, as if somebody had taken an ice pick and plunged it into the top of his skull. The feeling was excruciating and he almost cried out. He pressed his forehead deeper into Kaname's chest and prayed for respite. _It can't hurt this bad for very long,_ he hoped with all his might.

As the pain grew more and more intense, feeling as if shards of broken glass had rubbed into his brain. He thought he would pass out as strange colorful patterns blossomed before his eyes and the pain continued to build. The torturous feeling came to an explosive climax, circuits within his mind felt like it had overloaded, and before he fell unconscious – it was gone.

**-xxXxxXxx-**

Zero slowly became aware of himself.

He comprehended that he was lying on some bed. He felt weak and clammy, like he had a bad fever. But for the life of him, the last thing he remembered was being in the park, fighting a member of the Order of Lost Souls, and collapsing afterwards.

Blearily, he opened his eyes and was greeted by an unfamiliar room that he was quite certain _not _located at the library. Further inspection made him realized that his entire body felt oddly heavy. Heavy and weak. Not a good combination on his part. His head felt as though someone had removed everything and stuffed it full of cotton. His eyes felt like they were being dragged down again but he forced them to stay open. He needed to see what was going on, he vaguely remembered the pureblood carrying him away from that place but afterwards everything was a complete blank.

Before he could wonder anymore about what happened, a voice spoke suddenly.

"I see that you're finally awake, Zero," Kaname inquired in a worried voice as he sat down on an armchair propped beside the bed. His garnet colored eyes gazed at the hunter. "You've been unconscious all day that you had me worried quite a lot," he continued in a softer tone of voice.

Kaname could not forget the horror that threaded through his being when he saw Zero collapse that time. He had feared for the worst and without thinking, he rushed to the hunter's side, forgetting everything that was happening around him. While he tended to Zero, Shizuka and the other enemy escaped. The opportunity to save Zero from a terrible fate slipped through his fingers in an instant. All in all, he felt like a complete failure.

"What happened afterwards, Kaname?" Zero inquired tiredly as he looked over at Kaname. If possible, the pureblood looked more haggard than he had ever seen his partner before. Slowly, he pushed himself up on arms that felt as if they would buckle within the moment. But he got himself sitting, forcing the nausea and the dizziness aside with pure stubbornness.

"I failed to stop _them_ from escaping," Kaname answered bitterly. "They escaped with no trouble at all and I only have myself to blame for that," he concluded as he resisted the urge to look away from Zero.

Zero saw the pureblood's pained expression and he knew instantly that Kaname was blaming himself once again. "It wasn't your fault, Kaname," Zero replied as he held the pureblood's gaze. "Stop blaming yourself for every mistake that happens around you," he continued in a serious tone. "You're not perfect. No one is and I know that you shouldn't blame yourself for things that you can't control."

A heavy weight seemed to settle in his heart as familiar words slipped out of his tongue. Words that reminded him of the pains he had tried to forget all those years ago. He was very much used to the Dark Woods Library and the seemingly peaceful life as a librarian that he had forgotten what he was before. He was a vampire hunter, wasn't he? But the experiences he had there was much darker and more painful than anything else in the world. There was no reason for him to fear his former co-workers. They'd never hurt him physically, but on the inside they'd repeatedly ripped him into pieces.

'_He should've died with his parents that night. It would've been better for him and for everyone else.'_

'_Monsters like you have no feelings so don't try to even think for one second that you're just like us.'_

'_Vampires are filthy beasts that took a human form. They are just monsters, the lot of them. What makes a kid like you any different from those level ends we hunt?'_

'_Why don't you just give up, vampire. A monster like you would never be accepted no matter what.'_

'_Don't come near me, you monster! Vampires like you should have never existed!'_

Everyday he was treated like some form of trash and he wondered back then why he strived hard to live when all those around him wanted him dead. No matter what commendation he received, what promotion, what accomplishment, no matter how perfect his marks at school, the Hunter's Association, would never accept him ever again. If Cross had never offered being a librarian to him, he would've bet that he would've killed himself long ago.

Meanwhile, Kaname closed his eyes and contemplated some things. He couldn't recall how many times the hunter's words had settled his fears and pains. Yet, he could not do the same for Zero. For all his power as a pureblood vampire, there was little he could do for the person he loved the most. It was frustrating to say in the least. It reminded him so much of his parents' deaths and how he couldn't do a thing to prevent it from happening. It was like that all over again.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that Zero's expression was terribly vulnerable and pained; the hunter seemed to be trying desperately not to break. "Zero?"

As if breaking out from a trance, Zero took a deep breath before answering him. "I'm sorry. I was lost in thought for a while there."

"You're suffering again," Kaname said simply. "It pains me to know that I can't do anything to help you, Zero. Can't I do anything to take away that pain from you?" he said in a soft tone that he would only use with Zero.

The pureblood's heart filled with so much sadness, he could barely take it. He reached out and his hand cupped Zero's cheek softly. The hunter's own hand covered his and Zero leaned into the palm, closing his eyes. It was the first real emotion he'd shown Kaname, like he was letting the pureblood see his soul for the first time. The embrace from before made the pureblood wonder what Zero truly felt beneath the stoic and cold exterior. The hunter stayed there for so long that Kaname lost track of time. Then swiftly, painfully, Zero pulled away, leaving the pureblood empty and longing.

"You've already helped me, Kaname," Zero answered in a gentle voice as he looked at the pureblood. "Just by being here with me, you've saved me from myself and my fears," he added as he gazed at his own hands. He still felt the warmth from Kaname's own and he wondered why it took him this long to realize what he felt for the pureblood.

"It is never enough for me, Zero," Kaname replied as he stood up from the armchair and sat at the edge of the bed, facing the hunter. "I always wished I could do so much more for you," he whispered.

Familiar words.

Zero had heard the same words from his friend, Yuuki Cross, and they were spoken with the same honesty and sincerity. While there were similarities between the two, something was quite different as well. When Kaname had said these exact same words, the weight he felt from them was different. As if the feelings it contained was so much deeper than the friendship he felt with Yuuki.

"Why do you keep saying those words to me, Kaname?" Zero whispered as he looked away from the pureblood. "Why do you say that you want to protect me?"

Kaname's expression turned serious. "I want to protect you because I don't ever want to know what life would be like if I lost you."

Zero leaned toward Kaname, resting his forehead against the pureblood's shoulders, and his hand slid up to Kaname's arm. The hunter held his partner close to him and pressed his lips to the pureblood's arm, brushing his nose across Kaname's skin as the pureblood ran his fingers through the hunter's hair.

Kaname remained still and wished his heart would stop racing this fast just because of a simple contact like this. He lifted the hunter's face, and Zero opened his eyes to stare at the pureblood's own. Kaname couldn't help the smile that formed when he could tell that he'd somehow embarrassed the hunter by those honest words.

"I'm surprised that even someone like you can get flustered like this," Kaname remarked in a light manner as he saw the hunter's blush intensify more at those teasing words. Seeing the hunter like this made Kaname feel a little happy inside. Zero was usually so emotionless and cold that somehow seeing his partner show emotions like this made it more endearing.

Zero glared at Kaname as he tried to control his reactions. "Shut up, Kuran! It's because you always say such things from out of nowhere," he answered back.

Kaname laughed lightly. "Back to last names, Zero," he said as his smile widened. "I apologize then."

"That doesn't even sound sincere, Kuran."

"It's because you respond so easily that I tease you even when I know that I shouldn't."

"Kuran, you bastard!" Zero exclaimed as the pureblood's words sunk in and he resisted the urge to punch his partner for it. He settled with looking away from Kaname and thought about how weird it was that he felt glad to hear his partner laugh like this even at the cost of his own embarrassment.

"Kidding aside, Zero. Everything I tell you is the truth. My feelings in this matter are all real and sincere," Kaname said seriously as he tried to discern anything from Zero's features. In the end, he came up blank.

Zero sighed. "I know that. It's just hard to believe in something again after all of the times I've been hurt and betrayed. I somehow realized that I may hurt your feelings in the long run," the hunter said sadly. "I've been so used to hiding my feelings that somehow, all of this is quite overwhelming to me and I don't know how to react," he confessed.

Kaname's look softened. "It doesn't matter to me. As long as I am able to continue on with you like this, I do not care about anything else."

The smallest smile formed in the corner of Zero's mouth and the pureblood's gut did a flip. It was the first time he had seen the hunter smile like this and the sight of it was surprising to him. The smile suited Zero and he found that he wanted the hunter to smile more. With that thought, he blushed a little and berated himself for reacting like this.

Zero's smile grew a little more as he saw the blush on Kaname's face. "You're so unpredictable. I've been used to reading people so easily but with you, I don't know what to expect or think," he said gently.

"The same could be said here, Zero. You're the only person who could turn my world upside down."

"I guess we share a lot in common than I realized."

"That is why I want you to remember this. My world revolves around you and only you, now and forever," Kaname said deeply as he leaned in closer to Zero and he saw the hunter's eye widen a fraction at those unexpected words. "Please don't ever forget that," he continued softly as he gazed at his partner and saw that Zero was staring intently at him as well. Breath taking silver amethyst eyes bore into his own. As if searching for a deeper being inside his shell. Looking for a glimpse of his soul, but was he just fantasizing again? Imagining that Zero was also interested in him.

Kaname wrapped his hands on Zero's back and he pulled the hunter more firmly to him. He didn't care about what other people would think if he was letting go of his status to be with someone he truly loved. His pride and their opinions didn't matter one bit. One could not help but love. One could not help hoe they felt. It just happened that way. In heart and mind, he was Zero's for eternity. As he pulled the hunter closer into him and replaced the space between them with his warmth. His head rested on Zero's shoulder and he wondered if the hunter thought he was being too clingy.

"Zero… I…" the pureblood tried to say as he refused to look at the hunter. Afraid that Zero would see the desire and feelings evident in his garnet colored eyes. He wanted to say it. God, he wanted to bare his feelings right now. Yet, he was afraid to say those three words. He could do it with actions but saying it directly was hard. Knowing that once he said it, it was final and so was the hunter's reply.

"It's all right," Zero replied as he also hugged the pureblood back. He never expected for Kaname to show his weakness like this. The person in his arms wasn't the strong and enigmatic pureblood he had been partnered with. It was as if Kaname was on the brink of a decision he couldn't make. As if Kaname was afraid of something.

When he thought deeply about, he felt the urgency to do something. Anything. To just help Kaname as much as the pureblood helped him.

The pureblood pulled away and Zero let go. He saw Kaname's uncertainty and the urge grew stronger. _Stupid pureblood,_ he thought to himself. He was surprised that his partner could affect his emotions like this. He dipped his head and leaned forward, surprising Kaname.

Kaname was very much caught off guard by the gesture. Zero didn't kiss him, but the hunter was close enough to do it. His body locked up and his lips parted. The hunter's body was warm against his, and for that time, Kaname wanted Zero to do what he thought he was going to do. He really wanted the hunter to kiss him, and he could feel his insides tugging and spinning out of control. Kaname lifted his chin and waited, but Zero stopped. There was something in those light orbs and Zero turned his face away and moved back slowly. Kaname deflated.

When Zero saw the look in Kaname's face, he almost laughed. The pureblood looked too cute like this. He never really imagined Kaname to be this expressive and it overrode his doubts from before. His body just moved on its own accord earlier on and he didn't know how Kaname would react should he continued. But the answer was very clear in his partner's expression.

He had truly fallen in love with Kaname, a pureblood vampire he barely knew before. Even though it was forbidden and unheard of before. He could never love anyone else except for Kaname. He was even willing to hope again and to fight for his own life just to be with his partner in the future.

Without thinking twice or letting his doubt cloud him, he leaned closer once again and saw Kaname's eyes widen in surprise as he gave the pureblood a tender kiss on the lips.

Kaname was so surprised at the feel of the hunter's mouth on his that he went rigid all over, wrapping his arms once again on Zero's as he supported himself. He didn't push Zero away at all. How stupid was he if he did just that when all this time he had been waiting for this. The hunter took it as a form of encouragement because Zero slid his hand behind the pureblood's head and deepened the kiss, parting Kaname's lips with his. Zero's mouth was soft, the same as the last time he kissed the hunter, and the hand that cupped his neck was warm and gentle just like the numerous times when Zero held him. He let his eyes fall shut and for a moment floated dizzily in the darkness and the heat, the feel of Zero's fingers moving through his hair.

_Loving someone so madly and helplessly like this… I will never love like this again, _Kaname thought seriously.

Zero pulled away, only just, holding Kaname's gaze with his, his lips almost touching the pureblood's, as if waiting for something. Kaname tilted his chin up and parted his mouth until Zero returned, kissing him again, long and leisurely.

The hunter seemed careful, as if he expected the pureblood to have second thoughts about what they were doing. Kaname forced himself to relax and lifted a tentative hand to stroke his partner's cheek and kissed him back as his desire flooded his senses. Zero's fingers trailed up his spine and brushed across his bare throat before threading tenderly once again through his hair, his thumb tracing along his cheek.

God, Kaname didn't know what was happening but it certainly wasn't unwelcome. He had never thought in a million years that Zero would be the first one to initiate something like this. He didn't know what came over Zero but he hoped that when this is over, the hunter wouldn't pull away. He knew since long ago that his partner didn't want to be tied to others, knowing that his life was short and that death might come some time soon. It was a grim future Kaname didn't want to think about.

Zero deepened the kiss with a hunger, fervently, as if his vampire instincts were taking over, but the hunter was still in control of himself. Zero finally broke free, but he didn't pull away. He touched his forehead to Kaname's and closed his eyes.

"I apologize," he whispered.

Kaname's eyes softened as his hands wound around Zero's neck. His hands traced the contours of the hunter's back and shoulders and he felt the muscles lock where he touched him. "Don't apologize," Kaname replied, his hands sliding up into Zero's silver locks.

"I shouldn't have done something like that," Zero breathed, as he dropped his forehead into Kaname's shoulders.

"There's nothing to apologize for," Kaname said gently. "We should take a rest now. We have a mission to finish soon," he continued as he straightened up and so did Zero. He wanted to stand but he didn't want to leave. "C-can I stay here?" he added uncertainly and cursed himself for that. Why did he have to say those words? He knew that Zero was still getting used to these feelings and he was being pushy.

"It's okay with me," Zero replied and he saw the pureblood' disbelief. "Here, let me help you," he offered as he scooted on the right side and reached for Kaname's hand.

The pureblood let him take it and he pulled Kaname towards himself. "You can lie down with me and sleep for a little while if you're tired," Zero said as Kaname also climbed in. "Let me take care of you as well, Kaname," the hunter said gently.

Kaname couldn't believe that Zero had agreed to that request. It seemed that this day was definitely something to be remembered. Even if he couldn't say those three words right now, he was glad that somehow his feelings were being answered by these small gestures. He laid down on his side, the mattress sinking beneath his weight all too intimately, and he slid an arm tentatively around Zero.

_Even if loving you means experiencing pain, or solitude, or sorrow. I will never let go of these feelings or you for that matter. I love you, Zero, _Kaname thought as he went through all of the things they had been doing since the first time he became a librarian.

Both of them didn't say anything as they lay there, and Kaname fell asleep feeling Zero's warmth and breathing in the hunter's scent.


End file.
